Innocent Until Proven Guilty
by LithMuffin
Summary: One sorority party could change your life forever. Meet Bella, an honorary law student who isn't as innocent as her daddy would like to believe, and Edward, who is part of a world that is missing one thing, Bella. Extremely OOC ;) especially Bella. Definitely Rated M ;)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my little cherubs, I know it's been a while but after some years, I finally found my muse buried deep under pride rock (lol). I always had this particular scene in my head that I hope I can manage to put into words later on in this mini fic. **

**I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer - Stephenie Meyer owns it all, I'm just playing with her characters ;)**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 1**

This was just like every other sorority party my house throws, except this time I'm dressed in a sheer baby blue negligee with leaving-nothing-to-the-imagination underwear. I mean it could have been worse seeing as I'm quite high on the sorority hierarchy, Rosalie was adamant we had to wear corsets for this Innocent Until Proven Guilty themed debauchery.

I enjoy a good house party don't get me wrong, but what I'm fed up with is having to dodge handsy guys all night.

Having someone rub their dick against my ass was not on my agenda for tonight…unless he's worthy of course.

But seriously, I just wanted to get wasted and throw the best sorority house party to start off our final year at college.

The surrounding houses all came from money. What our parents didn't know was the fact that spoiled rich kids party harder than your ordinary respectable college student. We definitely know how to spend money that doesn't quite yet belong to us.

Rosalie, Alice and I have known each other since our freshman year and have been inseparable since. We even go on vacation together unless Emmett whisks Rose away somewhere hot now that he's earning serious money from his shipping company. How a 25-year-old can own his own business I'll never understand but I don't ask for details as it's none of my business. Just as long as he carries on treating Rose like a princess, that's all that matters otherwise I'll have to cut a bitch.

Alice and I, on the other hand, are free and ready to get whisked away ourselves. I've lost count the number of times we've both set each other up on blind dates just to call and pretend there's been an accident. It was simply fool proof.

Rose did tell us that Emmett will be bringing his friends tonight but I have yet to see him seeing as the party started 3 hours ago.

I was walking that fine line between being tipsy and if I were to have one more drink, I'd be wasted. Everything was smiles and giggles and if I drink any more, I know I will reach the horny stage of drunkenness and there was no one here I wanted to sleep with- that, I was positively sure of.

"Bella! Emmett is here and he brought eye candy! Get that sexy ass outside," Alice yelled as she grabbed my hand and we made our way out through the masses.

When we finally broke through the large group of bodies dancing by the door and made it outside, there was a black Escalade parked beside our drive with the windows tinted and three handsome guys stood leaning against it. One of them being Emmett, who had his tongue down Rosalie's throat already.

The other two I've never seen before.

Alice walked ahead of me and went straight for the blond guy who couldn't take his eyes off of her as he walked towards her.

"Finally." She said before jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. It didn't look like he minded the way he grabbed onto her ass and they walked around the back of the house. Anyone looking would have thought they knew each other. But I've met the last guy that sneaked out of Alice's room just a couple of nights ago, and this definitely wasn't him.

I stood there watching them walk out of sight and then turned back to look at the only guy left, who happened to be the sexiest guy I ever had the pleasure of seeing. He definitely looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here as he stood out like a sore thumb. I just hoped I could persuade him to stick around.

I'd say he was the same age as Emmett, he wore a navy suit without the tie and had the top few buttons undone. I watched him rake his fingers through his hair, he looked back to where the blond guy had taken Alice and then turned to the side to look at Emmett and Rose who were still sucking each other's faces. He shook his head and looked at his watch like he had somewhere better to be.

When his gorgeous eyes turned towards the house - where I was still standing - his frown slowly turned into a smirk as he assessed me. It would have been this sort of behavior that I didn't want tonight but the way he was looking at me, I wanted to take him upstairs and tie him to my bed whilst I have my wicked way with him.

I used to think I have a problem because my sex drive is so high, like teenage boy high and some guys just couldn't handle that. But the more I explored my 'problem', the more I realized that it's not a problem at all. It's the 21st center, it was perfectly fine for women to have a high sex drive. It's not as taboo as people would like to think.

It was usually the guys who wanted to sit and chat. I wanted to get down and dirty

It was usually the guys who wanted to get to know me better. I wanted to know more about their trouser snake.

It was usually the guys who would rather go out to town than Netflix and chill.

Me, well I just wanted to fuck and be fucked and Mr. I'm-Too-Cool-To-Be Here looked just like the right person to do that with.

I slowly made my way over to the Greek God as he stayed leaning against the car with his hands in his pockets. His eyes raked over my body and lingered on my breast, which thanks to this negligee I was wearing, made them look all perky and put together. I added a slight sway to my hips as I walked towards him, the female signal that a girl is interested, and I was pleased to see he enjoyed the show as his eyes lingered on my legs.

I stood inches away from him and then he finally pushed himself away from the car and took the remaining few steps towards me. I instinctively bit my bottom lip waiting in anticipation to see what he would do.

His whole presence screamed dominance and I drank it all in, getting more intoxicated by his scent the closer he got to me.

"You look absolutely sinful," were the first words he uttered to me. I instinctively smile and groan at the way his voice sounds. I felt my stomach tighten as he stood in front of me. his mere presence was making me wet.

"I bet that's what you say to all the girls," I finally said.

"I don't exactly go to many sorority house parties to say that. But if they all have someone like you attending them, then maybe I should."

I threw my head back and laughed. He was definitely a smooth talker and I wanted to put his mouth right where I was aching.

"I'm Bella," I say and stick my hand out for him to shake.

"Edward," he replied and took my hand, but instead of shaking it, he brought it up to his lips and kissed the back of it and I think I moaned.

I was sure his eyes darkened at the sound but I couldn't be sure, maybe I've had to drink more than I thought, plus, it was dark outside. He continued to hold my hand until I gave it a little tug. As soon as he let go, he stepped even closer to me and the lapel of his suit jacket brushed against my hard nipples, I closed my eyes momentarily, getting lost in the feeling that coursed through me.

I kept my eyes closed but I could feel him watching me.

"Is this how all the guests get treated?" he asked.

"No. They're not lucky enough," I say.

I opened my eyes and his bore into mine, searching. I lean a little closer and take in a deep breath, getting drunk on his scent and this time my moan was a lot louder and i could see he definitely heard it.

"What are you doing to me?" he asked in wonder.

I smirked and licked my lips and his eyes closed in on the movement.

I leaned up to his ear, thankful that these pumps gave me the height boost I needed.

"Nothing yet," my lips brushed his ear lobe and his hands shot to my hips as he pulled me closer. When my hands shot out to steady myself on his waist, I thought I could feel a pair of guns.

_Fuck_.

I gasped not in fear but in excitement.

Who is he? And why is he carrying?

But his guns weren't the only thing I could feel. His rock hard cock was pressing firmly against my hip and I was desperate to see it, feel it, and taste it too.

"We're leaving." He suddenly said.

"Who?"

"You and me." Before I could say anything, he took my hand and lead me over to the car, opened the passenger door and placed his hand on the small of my back as I got inside and sat down on the soft leather. It smelled heavenly inside the car, a mix of leather and men's cologne, the same cologne I could faintly smell on him.

He said something to Emmett as he walked passed them and round to the driver's side, Emmett reached into his pocket and tossed over the keys which Edward caught easily like they've practiced it. When he got inside the car, he slammed the door and started up the engine, revving it a bit and I saw Emmett give him some sort of hand signal whilst still groping Rosalie. Edward reversed back and sped down the road, away from my house, my friends, and my party. Taking me god knows where.

I should have probably asked more questions before I got inside his car but there was a huge part of me that hoped it will be his place he was taking me to.

Edward looks extremely sexy behind the wheel, my liquid courage wanted me to reach out and touch him. I watched as his arms flexed and he scowled at the car in front of us, willing it to move faster. God how can someone look so hot when they're angry? And I think I just moaned again. Looks like I have no control of my body right now.

"I wish you didn't do that."

"Do what?" I played dumb.

"Moan like that. It's driving me crazy, all I wanna do is stop at the side of the road and fuck you."

I laugh humourlessly "I'm ok with that." Was that too slutty?

His heated gaze turned to me and he smirked whilst shaking his head.

"I swear to god you was sent to punish me," he says.

"You been a bad boy Edward?"

"You have no idea beautiful," _gosh I wanted to lick him. _

And he's right, I don't have a clue. I don't know him from Adam, but somehow that didn't worry me. Not tonight anyway. If tonight goes the way I think it will, then by tomorrow morning I will probably regret this but right now, right now I just wanted to get to wherever he is taking me.

I couldn't stop watching him though and I watched his face as my hand reached out and touched his thigh. I felt it tense beneath my hand but his expression didn't change and he wasn't swatting me away.

_Good._

I slowly run my fingers up and down his thigh, circling and inching closer and closer to where I wanted to be.

And then he did something that surprised me.

Edward grabbed my hand and placed it on his cock and my fingers instinctively grabbed it, causing him to let out a delicious moan that I hope I will hear more of later when we're not trapped in a car.

Edward's cock was like steel, every time my hand squeezed, it twitched and I was dying to feel that skin on skin. One of my many fantasies was to give a blowjob whilst the guy was driving, just to see how long they could last. I continued to stroke it the best I could with his slacks in the way and I watched as the speedometer went higher and higher as Edward increased his speed.

"I hope wherever we're going is close by, I don't know how much longer I can last without touching all of that," I smirked as I kept looking at his crotch and from what I could grab, he was definitely packing some girth. My mouth nearly watered with that realization.

"You and me both gorgeous," he placed his hand on top of mine and made me squeeze his cock harder. He momentarily closed his eyes and I took in that blissful look on his face and it made me hungry for him.

Not once caring about the fact that he was driving with his eyes closed.

Before I could say something, he made a sharp turn and stopped the car, we were inside an alley with a dark blue door on my side that read 'back entrance' and I was confused as it looked like he took me to some club.

"I'm all for dancing but I would rather fuck in private," I said as I turned back to look at Edward's heated gaze.

"This is my club, I have a penthouse apartment above. Don't worry sweetheart, no one's going to see us _fuck_," he accentuated the word fuck and it never sounded better.

Beautiful, gorgeous, sweetheart, he said those words like they were terms of endearment and it made me feel things I have never experienced before. I'm not one to dwell on feelings but I wasn't sure how to react to that. It scared and thrilled me at the same time.

He opened the car door and climbed out. A huge guy appeared out of nowhere and opened the blue door whilst Edward walked over to my side and opened mine.

_Who said chivalry was dead?_

"Thanks," I say and grab the hand he held out for me. I felt someone watching me as my pumps hit the ground and when I looked up, the security guy had his eyes glued to my legs and his gaze was slowly making its way up my body. I then realized I wasn't exactly dressed for the surroundings and prayed to god Edward had a secret way of getting inside his penthouse.

"Felix!" Edward growled and instead of scaring me, his harsh voice turned me on further.

"I don't fucking pay you to look at my girl," he seethed and I watched as this Felix guy looked back at Edward and nodded his head.

"Boss," was the only thing he muttered as he stepped out from the door and stood beside it, giving us room to enter.

When we stepped inside I could hear the faint thumping of music and for a second I really wanted to go dancing. Edward's hand moved to the small of my back as he leads me through the dimly lit hallway towards a set of elevator doors and suddenly, dancing moved to the back of my to-do list.

On the side next to the door was an electronic keypad screen but didn't have any numbers on it, just a square in the middle. Edward placed his thumb in the square and the elevator doors opened.

_Who needs that much security? _I wondered.

Edward gestured for me to go first and as I stepped inside, I grabbed his left hand and pulled him in with me. His other hand went straight to my hip as he pushed me up against the wall of the elevator. I jumped a little as the cold mirrored wall touched my overheated skin and the movement caused my still hard nipples to brush up against Edward's chest. Due to his proximity, I could also feel those guns I felt earlier and I desperately wanted to know why he was carrying.

"Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" I couldn't help but tease.

"You and I both know that there are two guns but I am happy to finally see you better, it should be illegal for you to wear something this sexy," and here I was hoping my outfit would make me look innocent.

"Well I'm all about the law," I laughed.

But apparently it wasn't funny because Edward quickly stepped away from me and narrowed his eyes.

"Meaning? Are you training to be a fed princess?" he almost growled at me and I couldn't understand his reaction.

"No. I'm studying law. Daddy is all about me following in his footsteps in becoming a lawyer," I gritted my teeth as I said it and ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated at the thought of it once again, it still wasn't something I wanted to do. At all.

"Fucking brilliant," was Edward's response as he tilted his head up and sighed. He turned to look at me and his expression changed once again as if to say fuck it because he was on me once more but this time, I finally got to taste him.

The kiss was hungry and we were both fighting for dominance. My hands wrapped around the lapels of his jacket and he grabbed my wrists and held them above my head whilst his tongue demanded entrance, which I was more than happy to oblige. I moaned into his mouth and he bit down on my bottom lip, pulling it slightly, enough to make me moan out in pleasurable pain.

The elevator dinged but Edward still didn't move away from me. Instead, he let go of my hands as his slid down my body and over my ass, lifting me up by my cheeks so I could wrap my legs around him, just like Alice did with the blond guy. _I should find out what his name is._

My pussy rubbed against his hard cock in the process and I was desperate to get him naked. My fingers wound into his hair and I grabbed hold of his soft locks and gently tugged on it. He elicited the same moan I heard in the car and mine followed straight after as he latched onto my neck and started kissing his way up to my ear.

I didn't even notice when he started moving and walking out of the elevator, I just heard the soft ding as the doors closed behind us. I tugged on his hair, harder this time, and made Edward look at me. His eyes were hooded and I pressed my lips up against his, my tongue seeking out his as he willingly opened his mouth up for me.

I can't even describe the way he tastes, it was like a hint of something sweet but minty too and I couldn't get enough of it.

Edward carried on walking but I didn't take any notice of his apartment as my sole focus was getting him to a bed. I carried on claiming his mouth and then felt my back land on something soft. I opened my eyes to find Edward looming over me with that sexy as hell smirk back on his face. I unwound my legs from around him and left my legs bent and spread, my pantie covered pussy on show.

I bit my bottom lip in anticipation to see what Edward would do next as his eyes trailed down my body and lingered on my spread legs. He sat back on his heels and removed his jacket and I finally got the see the guns he was definitely carrying. They were resting against his waist in holsters and I couldn't take my eyes off of them.

"Are you scared of me sweetheart?" he asked as his hand stroked my thigh.

"Should I be? Why would anyone need to carry guns around strapped to their body? Why would someone need fingerprint security to their penthouse?" I couldn't understand why I needed this information all of a sudden when I was ready to jump his bones 2 minutes ago, but I felt so overwhelmed and sexually charged with everything, I didn't have control of myself.

He is the first man to make me feel that way, and that's what I was scared of.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we are again!**

**Thank you for all your follows and favorites it means so much to me! **

**I'll be posting once a week after this chapter as being an adult is kicking my ass. I really wanted to get this chapter out to you so I hope you enjoy it :)**

**Disclaimer - SM owns it as always.**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 2**

_"Are you scared of me sweetheart?" he asked as his hand stroked my thigh._

_"Should I be? Why would anyone need to carry guns around strapped to their body? Why would someone need fingerprint security to their penthouse?" I couldn't understand why I needed this information all of a sudden when I was ready to jump his bones 2 minutes ago, but I felt so overwhelmed and sexually charged with everything, I didn't have control of myself._

_He is the first man to make me feel that way, and that's what I was scared of._

"I would never hurt you, unless you're into that shit?" I would have had something snarky to say back to that but all of my attention was on his guns.

"Tell me," I closed my legs and scooted myself into a sitting position as my back rested against the headboard. My pussy out of his sight- for the moment anyway depending on his answer.

I watched as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and then he removed the holsters strapped to his back and lowered them down to the floor. As he sat back up, he began untucking and unbuttoning his shirt whilst looking at me. I would have expected to see that smirk back on Edward's face as he stripped for me but he was looking at me like he was trying to assess me.

My eyes linger on the visible skin, my god he was chiseled. I was transfixed watching his abs tense as he lifted his arms a little to take that expensive-looking watch off his wrist, which he lowered down to the floor as he did with the guns. You know those guys you see on TV and in magazines, the ones that have that sexy V thing going on, yeah my Edward has one of those.

_My Edward?_

_Fuck me what is wrong with me?_

The silence was deafening as he continued to strip. If I didn't know any better- which I don't, quite frankly- I would have guessed that he's trying to figure out whether it's worth telling me whatever he is trying to tell me.

The thing I'm worried about is whether whatever he has to say will make me run.

That's the last thing I wanted to do.

Once that realization hit me, I realized I didn't actually care what he was going to tell me. It's not just because I want to see the anaconda he's packing, it was actually because I think I'm sobering up now and not thinking with my puss, finally realizing that I actually want to know this guy.

"Baby tell me," his eyes shot to me when the word baby left my mouth and if he hadn't reacted like that, I would have never realized I'd actually said it. It felt normal to call him that even though we've only known each other for an hour tops.

He got off the bed and started pacing, his shirt kept flying open with every turn he made and his hands were back in his hair, still looking for the right words it seems.

"Edward," I whispered and he stopped moving. How can one moment he be telling me he wants to fuck me and the next he's unsure of himself.

"How straight is your father Bella?" _Okay?_

"Meaning?" _Where the fuck was he going with this?_

"Has he ever been paid off to help someone stay out of prison? Because my father would just love to have someone like that in his pocket," I have no idea what he is talking about or why he is talking about our fathers.

"I don't fucking know Edward, my dad doesn't tell me the clientele he keeps. And what the hell have our dads got to do with this?" I was getting angry as I sat up in a kneeling position and crossed my arms over my chest which pushed my tits even closer together.

I watched Edward's eyes glance down at them and I nearly growled in frustration. I wasn't getting anywhere and I just wish he would stop stalling.

"You see Bella, my father runs Chicago and I'm next in line if something were to happen to him or until he steps down," he finally looked back up to my eyes to gauge my reaction and I tried to once again figure out what he's trying to tell me.

"Runs Chicago? The fuck is that supposed to mean? Are you saying your dad is the Mayor? That still doesn't explain why you're carrying guns Edward," I jumped slightly at his boisterous laugh.

"That prick wouldn't be Mayor if it wasn't for my father. No sweetheart, my dad is the fucking Mob Boss and the reason I'm carrying is for my own protection. Do you realize what would happen if someone were to kill the Boss's son just to get to him, just to watch his empire crumble?" he seethed and began pacing again whilst I tried to wrap my head around what he was telling me.

"I shouldn't even be fucking telling you this. I don't fucking know you, we were simply supposed to fuck and I'd drop you back to your party and you'd never see me again doll face."

_Motherfucker. Who the hell does he think he is?_

"Oh yeah? So we were just supposed to fuck and forget about it? Have you forgotten the fact that we both know a certain beef head named Emmett? Did you seriously fucking think we wouldn't see each other again?" I shot off the bed and stood right in front of him, halting his pacing. My nostrils flared in anger both at myself for feeling hurt by his words and at him for saying them.

I'm fucking tougher than that. I know I am.

Edward stepped closer to me, his face a mere inch away from mine. I could taste his breath as he towered over me, watched his eyes grow darker as they frantically searched mine. He grabbed my face and kissed me, hard. I should have pushed him off me but I couldn't. I couldn't because I didn't want to, so I kissed him back just as hard, opening my mouth so he can explore it with his tongue like he did earlier. It was heated, messy and so fucking hot and I managed to turn him so that the back of his knees hit the edge of the bed and I pushed him down on it.

I moved to straddle him as he carried on claiming my mouth. His hands moved down to my ass and he began palming it as I ground myself on his erection. My fingers were beginning to hurt as I gripped his hair, wanting to hurt him just a little. It had the opposite effect because he kissed me deeper and even slapped my ass, the sensation shooting straight to my already pulsing clit.

I pushed against his shoulders so he would lay on his back whilst I carried on grinding on him. He moved his hands to my hips and helped me pick up my pace. His lips moved to my neck and I moaned at the feeling which only spurred him on whilst we dry humped.

He thrust up against me and I couldn't take it anymore, I needed him inside me.

Now.

"Baby," I moaned and threw my head back as euphoria washed over me, that all too familiar feeling at the pit of my stomach made me want to fall over the edge with him. He picked up his pace and I was hanging on by a thread. I knew I wouldn't last much longer, let alone hold off until I had him inside me. There was no way in hell I was stopping now.

"Cum Bella," he whispered into my ear and gently bit down on my earlobe and I snapped. My orgasm took over my whole body and I was trying to catch my breath as he continued to grind his erection against me, letting me ride out the waves of ecstasy. My head dropped to his shoulder and I trailed gentle kisses up and down his neck as he stopped moving under me and just held me.

Edward's right hand went into my hair, massaging my scalp as his left kept running up and down my back. It felt so intimate that I was too scared to look up. But I had no choice but to do that when he tugged on my hair a little so I'd lift my head up. My breathing was still a little labored but when I looked into his eyes, I stopped breathing altogether.

There was so much heat and passion in them I couldn't look away.

"You're beautiful," the sincerity in his voice did funny things to me because I wasn't used to it.

Like I said earlier, I'm not the '_let's get to know each other better'_ type of girl but I was intrigued by him. He made me second guess myself, but I couldn't deny the fact that he made me feel safe too.

Whilst being so lost in my own head, I realize he didn't cum with me as I laid there and could still feel his raging hard-on underneath me.

I smirked this time and lifted my hips off him, which caused him to groan at the loss of contact. What he wasn't expecting was for me to go lower until I slid off the bed and was on my knees in front of him. I watched his chest rise and fall with every breath he took and I felt his abs tense under my touch as I ran my hands down his body until I reached the waistband of his navy slacks.

Edward propped his head up to watch what I was doing and I got excited just thinking about seeing his cock and tasting it. Something I've been itching to do since the drive up here. I unbuttoned his slacks and pulled the zipper down, which was the only other sound you could hear in the room along with Edward's breathing.

I was biting my bottom lip in anticipation as he lifted his hips up to help me get his slacks and boxers off. Once I got them past his ass, I heard that delicious sound of his cock slapping against his stomach as I released him, springing to attention. I felt moisture seep out onto my panties as I watched it twitch and leak. I glanced up at Edward, who was still watching me and I wanted to laugh at his smug expression. I guess he's got something to be smug about because his cock is definitely the biggest I've ever got to play with.

"Where have you been all my life?" it was my turn to say that now because his cock was everything I've ever dreamed of and more, and I haven't even tasted him yet.

"Fuck gorgeous, you're going to be the death of me," Edward groaned.

"What a way to go though," I smirked as I pulled his bottoms down to his knees, quickly undoing his shiny black shoes, taking them off and then his bottoms followed.

"Sock on or off?" I quickly asked and watched as his abs tensed whilst he laughed, his cock bobbing in the process.

_Come to mama._

"Off, Bella," _have I mentioned that I love the way he says my name?_

I quickly worked on his socks and then I focused all of my attention on his huge cock.

I took him in my right hand and slowly pumped him from top to bottom, gently running my thumb over the tip and spreading the pre-cum around it. Edward dropped his head back and I felt him get even harder in my hand. How that was possible I didn't know, but my mouth was watering at the thought of tasting him.

I leaned forward and dragged my tongue from the bottom of his shaft to the top of his cock, the skin so smooth under my tongue and I felt my eyes roll back a little at the taste.

"Fuck I feel like I should say this, even though I don't want to, but baby you don't have to do that," Edward grunted in pleasure. Stopping now was the last thing on my mind. But I wanted to tease him a little.

I removed my tongue from his cock and sat back, "Okay," I said nonchalantly and pretended to pick imaginary lint off my negligee.

Edward's head shot up, "What? Really?" he asked in disbelief, disappointment lacing his voice.

"Fuck no," I laughed and they were the last words to leave my lips as I took his cock into my mouth and all the way to the back of my throat. There was no way I was going to get his whole dick to fit in there so I wrapped my hand around the rest of him.

"Fuckkkkk-" he groaned out and I opened my eyes to find Edward watching me, watching his cock disappear down my throat. I couldn't wait to have him fill my pussy.

I moaned as I carried on sucking, causing a vibrating motion and then moved my left hand to play with his balls. It's the golden rule of blow jobs- don't leave the balls behind. I watched Edward's hand twitch beside me and I gathered he wanted to place them on my head but didn't want to push it either.

I release his cock with a loud pop whilst my hand carried on doing the work.

"Why are you holding back? I know you want to fuck my mouth. It's ok Edward, I'm not going to break," I lifted his right hand and placed it on my head and his fingers instinctively grabbed my hair as I put him back into my mouth, once again moaning at the feel and taste of him.

His left hand soon followed as he buried it into my hair and then held my head in place whilst he slowly lifted his hips and his cock slipped in and out of my mouth, doing all the work for me. He started slowly and I knew he was still holding back so I untucked my teeth from behind my lips and lightly let him feel them to get his attention. He hissed and picked up his pace whilst I adjusted my lips again.

God it's been so long since I've been with someone who lost control and just took. And I was willing Edward to do just that.

As he fucked my mouth, I couldn't resist the urge to touch myself. I was wound up so tight that I knew as soon as I start playing with myself, it wouldn't be long before I cum. I just hope this time Edward will cum with me. I needed to know what he tastes like.

I'm not ashamed to admit I swallow, I mean it's like a reward at the end, knowing I made my man cum with just my mouth. I'm a strong believer that giving head is a skill that needs a lot of practice.

I moan as I circle my clit and I know Edward is enjoying the vibration it causes because his dick hardens again and twitches in my mouth. I won't be able to last long at this rate so I hollowed in my cheeks as I continued to suck him.

"Bella…shit, fuck angel I'm going to cum-" _I'm right there along with you Edward_. His movements become a little erratic and I felt him trying to move my head out of the way, so I grabbed him again with my free hand to show him I wanted it. His hands left my hair and I took control again, with a few more swipes of my tongue, he was pulsing inside my mouth as his release slid down my throat. As soon as I swallowed, my own orgasm shook my frame and I had to release him from my mouth in fear of biting his delicious cock as I groaned and bit my lip instead, resting my forehead on his thigh.

I carried on slowly stroking him as he came down from his high, not being able to take my eyes off him as a lazy smile covered his handsome face.

My tongue tingled with the taste of him and I needed him again.

"Where did you learn to do that?" he laughed.

"Actually never mind, I don't want to fucking know. I'd have to hunt down and kill every fucker you've been with princess," his face hardened at the thought and I was stunned into silence wondering what caused that reaction.

I shook my head to clear it before it ventured down a path I wasn't ready to follow.

As his cock began to soften I rose from my kneeling position, my legs shook a little in the process and I finally took in the room we were in. Floor to ceiling windows covered the east wall and my breath caught at the view in front of me. The city was alight with flickering lights from the traffic bellow and offices lighting up tall buildings. I moved closer to the window and looked down at the world moving along below me.

"Beautiful," he said. His voice was so close, I didn't even notice he was behind me.

"Yes, it is," was my meek response as I continued to gaze out.

"I wasn't talking about the city Bella," I shivered at his tone, not understanding the mixed signals I was getting from him or what he wants from me.

I turned around and he was right there, with his arm stretched out as if he was about to touch me before I turned. His shirt still hung loosely on his shoulders and his black boxers were back on. I hummed in appreciation as I took him in, my eyes raking over his chest and chiseled abs. I guess you need to be in pristine shape doing what he does.

"What's happening here Edward?" my voice didn't go above a whisper as I was too scared to voice my thoughts.

"You knowing me puts you at risk Bella, you have to understand that at least," he pleaded with me.

"But you know Emmett and that other guy, you saying they're at risk too? What about my girls?" I couldn't wrap my head around how this night is turning out. This hot and cold behavior is giving me a whiplash.

"Emmett and Jasper can take care of themselves. Emmett would rather die than let any harm come to Rosalie. I can't say the same about Jasper and your friend as they've only met tonight," _so his name was Jasper_.

I wondered if I'll be seeing him around now that Alice dug her claws in. She's had about 6 guys that she claimed were 'The One' this past year.

He moved his hand to my face, his thumb stroking my bottom lip and I leaned into his touch, craving his touch as he drove me crazy with his constant push and pull.

"What about me?" I finally asked.

"Nothing will happen to you if I'm around. I'll kill any fucker that even thinks of laying a hand on you," he seethed at the mere thought of it and I shivered at the menacing way his voice sounded, getting turned on by the powerful way he carried himself.

_So he's willing to kill for me but says that I shouldn't be with him because it puts me at risk._

It was a risk I was willing to take.

_Man I need a drink._


	3. Chapter 3

**SM owns it all…lucky cow!**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 3**

_"Nothing will happen to you if I'm around. I'll kill any fucker that even thinks of laying a hand on you," he seethed at the mere thought of it and I shivered at the menacing way his voice sounded, getting turned on by the powerful way he carried himself._

_So he's willing to kill for me but says that I shouldn't be with him because it puts me at risk._

_It was a risk I was willing to take._

_Man I need a drink._

"I need a drink," I say and lift my hands into my hair to run my fingers through it. I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself or this situation I suddenly found myself in.

_Do I regret getting into Edward's car? No, hell no._

_Do I regret getting intimate with him? Definitely not._

What I fear is not knowing if I'll ever see him again after the night is over.

"Follow me," Edward takes my hand in his and leads me out of his bedroom, where the magic kind of happened.

I take in his apartment and I'm amazed it doesn't feel like it belongs to a bachelor. The décor is simple but has a soft touch to it. Plain walls but it fit. Floor to ceiling windows covers most walls so you constantly have the view of the city in front of you. There is a door to the left of us just before we walk into the open plan kitchen and living area but I didn't get a chance to ask him what's behind the door before we are in his kitchen.

Edward turns to face me and lifts me up placing my bare ass on the marble countertop. I hiss at the cold feeling and he just smirks at me and moves in closer, capturing my lips in a slow kiss. I don't get the chance to deepen it as he backs away and walks over to the open bar at the other end of the kitchen.

"What's your poison?" he turns to look at me whilst his arms are stretched out on the counter, supporting his weight as he leans forward. I lick my lips as I take him in, hands down the hottest guy I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I just wondered whether the inside was worth getting to know or whether I'll get hurt in the process.

"Scotch on the rocks," was my response as I watched his eyebrows rise up in surprise. Edward shakes his head and then proceeds to get an expensive looking bottle out on the counter and two glasses. He walks over to the huge refrigerator and takes out a few ice cubes, placing them in my glass and a couple in his and I watch as he opens the bottle, still shaking his head.

"I was keeping this for a special occasion but I guess meeting you tonight counts," Edward smirked as he walked back over to me with our drinks. There he goes again saying shit like this, making my head spin. I take the drink from him and he holds his out and we clink our glasses together.

"Here's to sorority parties and girls dressed like sin," he winks.

"And here's to probably risking your life with hot mysterious guys," we're both watching each other as we take the first sip, my throat burning a little as the amber liquid slides down, leaving a hot trail behind.

Edward leans back against the wall in his galley kitchen, crossing his ankles whilst he carried on looking at me. I place my drink down and cross my legs as I lean forward, Edward's eyes follow the movement and he can't decide where to look first, my legs or my tits as they're still on display.

"Mind if I take the heels off?" being so caught up in him, I didn't realize how sore my feet were.

"Be my guest," he softly says.

I was just about to move off the counter but then Edward stepped forward, leaning over me a little to place his own drink next to mine.

"Here, let me," he takes hold of one of my ankles and unclasps the buckle that holds the straps together. His fingers lightly graze my leg and my breath hitches. The air is thick with tension and arousal and that's mostly coming from me.

He takes one heel off and I wiggle my toes, stretching my foot out as it's finally free from the tight confine of these fuck-me heels. Edward chuckles at my glitter pink nail polish and then moves to my other foot. He runs his finger up my calf and I giggle as it tickles, thankful that Rose forced us to get waxed today before the party. He eventually freed my other foot and I did the same stretch and sighed in content. I picked up my drink again as I watched Edward pick up my heels and place them neatly beside the counter I was perched on.

When he stood and faced me again, I parted my legs and he moved to stand between them, resting his palms on the side of my thighs and gently stroking them with his thumbs.

"Tell me something no one knows," he asks me as he watched a drop of scotch run down my lip that escaped as I moved the drink away. I licked my bottom lip to catch it and his eyes followed the movement.

"When I was 8, I walked in on my father being sucked off by my nanny in his office, and the worst part is, I think my mother knew all along but stayed with his cheating ass. God forbid her country club hussies found out about it. Tanya was fired, obviously, and since then my mother only hired old ladies to look after me." I snorted at that memory; I was still innocent enough to understand what I witnessed and smart enough to know it wasn't right.

Dad spoiled me rotten that year to keep me quiet.

"Shit, for real?" Edward wasn't sure whether to laugh or not.

"Yeah, he took me to Disneyland the next day to keep me quiet. The only person I ever told was my Micky Mouse plushie, and now you." I bite my lip, feeling vulnerable as his face inches closer to mine. Edward's fingertips press into my thigh and I momentarily close my eyes, just losing myself in his proximity and the way he is making me feel.

His lips press against mine and I sigh into the kiss, melting into him in the process. Edward's hands slowly moved to my face as he gently held me, turning my head to deepen the kiss. I instinctively open my mouth and his tongue caresses mine, leaving the taste of scotch with every stroke. I place my hands around his neck and scoot closer to the edge of the counter. With my chest pressed up against his, I moan into Edward's mouth and he groans in response. I can feel the tip of his covered cock between us and I'm instantly reminded of the way it felt in my mouth, hot and heavy.

We still didn't get any closer to talking about where this leaves us but right now, I just couldn't find it in me to care. If tonight is the last time I will ever see him then so be it. But I'm not leaving until after I have him balls deep inside of me.

His hands move back down and around to my ass, he scoots me even closer to the edge and then lifts me up and off the counter. I wrap my legs around his waist like earlier and we continue to kiss as we make our way back into his bedroom. When my eyes briefly opened, I glanced at the closed door again and wondered what was behind it but then Edward nipped at my bottom lip and all thought of anything but him went out the window.

This time, it didn't feel desperate or rushed, he was slow with the kisses like he was savoring me, making me last as long as possible. And I didn't quite know how to feel about that. At that moment, I wanted to know everything there is to know about Edward.

I felt my ass touch the bed as he lowered me down, still standing between my legs and his hands moved the straps of the negligee off my shoulders, his fingers brushing my sensitive skin. I lifted my arms up and Edward moved the hem of the negligee and slowly lifted it up and off my body. My tits bounced with the motion as they were released. I watched Edward throw it down the side of the bed where I was sure his watch and guns still lay. I leaned back on my arms and watched Edward take me in. The best thing my mother ever gave me was my breasts. These babies got me in and out of a lot of trouble.

Laying there almost naked , my nipples hardened further as the cold air hit them and at the way Edward looked at me.

I scooted further up the bed and stopped when my head reached the pillows, with my hair fanned around me, I moaned at the hungry look in Edward's eyes. I had to rub my thighs together to get some sort of friction and I already felt like I was holding on by a thread as Edward moved onto the bed and placed his hands on my knees to spread my legs wide open. My panty covered pussy was aching for him now.

"Do you even know what you're doing to me? Do you have any fucking idea what I want to do to you? I want to feast on you Bella, I want you to feel me for days because I'm going to be the only person who can make you feel like that. That pussy is mine now," he growled like a man possessed and my breath quickened at the thought of what we're about to do.

Before I can say anything back to him, his hands move to my panties and he slides them down my legs and throws them over his shoulder as he dives down and runs his tongue down my swollen folds. My back arches off the bed as the euphoria takes over. His tongue is slick and soft as he runs it up and down the outside of my lower lips. once get goes back up to the top, he dips his tongue in and laps at my clit.

"Shit baby, that's it, fuck me with that tongue-" my breath catches as he does just that. Edward repositions himself as he rests his shoulders against the back of my thighs, keeping my legs spread for him and wraps his arms around my thighs, bringing his right hand down to my pussy and spreading my lips for better access.

I try to lift my hips up to meet his ministrations but he holds me down and continues to penetrate me with his tongue. He swirls it around my clit and then wraps his lips around it as he gently sucks on it. I cry out in pleasure and grab onto his hair, trying my hardest to grind my pussy over his face but his grip on me is iron tight.

"Right there Edward…fuck don't stop don't stop don't stop," I moan as he continues to swirl that tongue over my clit, it felt like we have done this so many times before. He plays my pussy better than anyone ever has before.

I've never been able to cum from just penetration before and I always needed my clit to be played with in order to reach that big O. A fact a lot of the guys I've been with couldn't quite grasp and I was left to finish myself off once they left. I was excited to see what Edward was going to do. The way he was eating my pussy, he definitely wasn't a selfish lover that's for sure.

The brief thought of being with anyone else left me pretty quickly as Edward lessened his hold on me and his other hand moved to my entrance. He wet his fingers on my pussy as his tongue continued to work on my clit and I thought I was going to snap when his fingers entered me. He pushed them in and out, slowly at first, gauging my reaction, and then he sped up, matching the pace of his tongue and that was all it took. He curled his fingers and pressed on my g-spot, sucked my clit into his mouth and I was falling. My orgasm took over my whole body and I cried out his name as I continued to grind on his face.

"Fuck fuck fuckkkkk!" I screamed as he continued to lick me, flattening his tongue as I jerked slightly every time he swirled it around my clit, knowing I'd be sensitive there.

Edward moved up my body and hovered over me as I tried to catch my breath. His eyes locked onto mine as he lowered himself and kissed me. He kissed me the same way as he did my pussy just now. I nearly came again at the taste of myself on his lips. There was just something so erotic about being able to taste myself on him. He pushed his tongue inside my mouth and I kissed him back with everything in me. Willing my feelings to come across into that kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and brought him closer to me, his erection hitting my sensitive clit made me buck my hips up and Edward deepened the kiss.

Pulling back, he looked into my eyes and something crossed his face that I wasn't sure I could put into words.

He moved and sat back a little, I wanted to cry out at the loss of his weight on me but then I watched as he took his shirt off and moved off the bed completely to take his boxers off. I watched transfixed as his cock sprang free and was pointing directly at me. I licked my lips in anticipation as I ogled the Greek God before me. For a split second, I wondered if he was going to fit but I was also giddy to feel him finally fill me.

"Bella," his voice was tender as he crawled back up my body and we were face to face again. His cock rested between my legs and against my pussy which I was sure was coating him with my wetness.

I ran my fingers through his hair as he leaned down and captured my lips in a soft kiss.

I didn't want him gentle. I want what he promised me.

"Edward…fuck me," I whispered as I ran my tongue up and down the outside of his ear.

He moaned and bucked his hips into me, I grabbed his hair and lifted my own hips up to meet his. Edward's hand reached between us and he positioned himself by my entrance, teasing me just a little. He coated the rest of his dick in my juices and finally, finally slid that huge cock of his inside me.

My toes curled as he went deep, reaching places no other guy ever has before. That feeling of when it first goes in - nothing ever comes close to that. His pelvis hits my swollen clit as he sheathed fully inside me and I ground my hips against him, arching my back off the bed at the feel of having all of him fill me.

"Baby you're so tight, fuck Bella no one has ever felt the way you do. You're going to ruin me," he rasped out as he pulled out and then slammed back into me. I cried out as he continued to do just that.

I tried to hold him closer to me but Edward sat back on his knees and brought my hips up to meet him, I rested against my shoulders which were still on the bed as my lower half was lifted and held up by Edward as he continued to fuck me. His grip on me was tight and I was sure I'd have bruises by tomorrow but I couldn't find it in me to care.

I grabbed the sheets as the sound of skin slapping against skin rang out in the otherwise quiet room and the moans coming from both of us rang out in harmony. He kept hitting me in that sweet spot and his pelvis continued to tease my clit every time he pushed in deeper.

My tits bounced with every thrust so I grabbed them and teased my nipples which stayed hard since Edward undressed me.

"That's it baby, play with those amazing tits. God, you're so fucking sexy, spread out on my bed like that, taking my cock like you were made for me," I moan at the way he is playing my body and watch as a single bead of sweat rolls down his forehead. I was so mesmerized by it, I wanted to lick it.

"Your cock was made for me Edward. No one comes even close baby. Just you, only you Edward," I pant out as he slams into me. That all too familiar feeling at the pit of my stomach nearly brings me to tears because I don't want it to end.

"Fuck I can feel you squeezing me, come on baby, come for me. I want it Bella, fucking come for me!" he demands and I move my hand to my clit, knowing I will need it in order to fall over the edge but he moves my hand away.

"I've got you baby," I thought he was going to do it himself be he lifted me slightly higher, changing the angle and continuing to pound into me. Edward picked up his pace and was reaching places I have never felt before.

I never thought there would be a day when a guy can make me cum by penetration only. I wasn't exaggerating when I said his cock was made for me.

"Oh god, yes right thereee, fuck Edward yessss," I hiss as the coil inside me winds tighter and tighter with each thrust.

"Cum for me Bella, I'm right there with you angel," Edward pants out and with a final thrust, he sends me over the edge.

I feel my skin pebble as the euphoria takes over me and I lose all control. Edward lowers me down and continues to pound into me, becoming more and more erratic with his movements as he rides out my orgasm and then he stills. He's breathing heavily as he looks into my eyes and lowly grunts. I feel him shudder as his arms give out and he gently falls on top of me. I welcome the weight and move my arms around his neck as his face nestles between my breasts.

We both lay there, trying to catch our breath as we come down from an orgasm I'll never forget.

He's so still, for a second I wonder whether he's fallen asleep but then he lets out a soft breath and my nipples harden in front of him. Edward raised his hand and ran the pad of his fingers over my nipple, fascinated with it. It makes me giggle and we both shake with my laughter and I feel his cum slip out of me.

It dawns on me that we didn't use a condom, and I know nothing about who he last slept with. I'm on the pill so I'm covered in that sense but fuck, he's making my brain go fuzzy with my desire for him.

"I hope you checked yourself after the last girl you slept with," I felt anger rising within me at just the mere thought of him sleeping with someone else.

"I always wrap myself, you've got nothing to worry about," he said as he bit my nipple before moving off me.

Edward made me jump as he quickly turned to look at me, realization finally catching up to him.

"Yeah, not always," I huff, I guess I've got nothing to be worried about if he always wraps himself because I do too. I've always got condoms on me, whether it's in my purse or my bedside draw. Which I didn't have either with me right now, I need to calm my inner bitch because I'm also to blame here.

"Shit princess I'm sorry, I got so caught up in you I didn't think," he leaned in to kiss me and I got lost to the feel of his lips.

He was soft and gentle with me again and I didn't want this night to end. They say all good boys go to heaven, but bad boys bring heaven to you. And Edward was doing just that.

"I need to get cleaned up," I say as I get up from the bed and walk towards the door the leads to his bathroom.

I quickly took care of business and then looked at myself in the mirror. I looked thoroughly fucked, my hair looked like a bird's nest and my lips were red and swollen. I softly touched them and couldn't stop the smile that spread over my face. I almost wanted to pinch myself to make sure this was real.

The whole night was like a roller-coaster, we pretty much argued most of the night but every time it led to us being on top of one another. I felt a delicious ache at the memory of having him inside me.

I took another look at myself, tamed my hair down as much as I could and walked back out into his bedroom. I found Edward standing by the window, the gun holster hanging loosely in his hand as he looked out into the city. His black boxers hugged his ass deliciously and I wanted to bite it.

God, he made dangerous look so beautiful.


	4. Chapter 4

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 4**

_The whole night was like a roller-coaster, we pretty much argued most of the night but every time it led to us being on top of one another. I felt a delicious ache at the memory of having him inside me._

_I took another look at myself, tamed my hair down as much as I could and walked back out into his bedroom. I found Edward standing by the window, the gun holster hanging loosely in his hand as he looked out into the city. His black boxers hugged his ass deliciously and I wanted to bite it._

_God, he made dangerous look so beautiful._

I walked up behind him and wound my arms around his front, resting them on his chest. Without realizing, I felt my breathing match his and I sighed at the feel of his heartbeat beneath my touch. I couldn't put into words what I was currently feeling and I was afraid to voice them.

Edward's free hand reached up and he placed it on top of mine and turned his face to the side to look at me. I felt his muscles roll and I kissed the middle of his back. Leaving my lips to linger as I let his energy wash over me.

My nipples hardened at the feel of him and Edward dropped the harness he was holding as he turned in my arms to face me fully.

His eyes searched mine and I was scared he'll be able to see what I'm feeling. The girls always teased me that my eyes were like an open book to my soul.

Edward's breath washed over me and I could taste him on my tongue. Hungry for him once again.

"What happens now?" I timidly ask. I was too scared to know the answer.

I watched as he smirked at me. "I don't know about you but I'm starving," he says as he reached up to move a strand of my hair behind my ear and leaned forward, placing a kiss on my lips. His tongue peeked out and touched my bottom lip, I opened up to give him access. His lips were so soft against mine, there was no urgency behind this kiss. He wasn't in a rush to get rid of me and I smiled into the kiss, welcoming the butterflies that took up residence inside me. I almost wanted to kick my foot back as the girls do in movies.

"I could eat," I finally say.

"Perfect," he whispered against my lips before pulling away and walking out of the room. I glanced around for something to wear as I didn't fancy eating naked. I walked over to where his discarded shirt lay and slipped it on. Forgoing the underwear because I wasn't done with him yet.

I followed the sound of his voice as he ordered food. I expected to find him in the living room but as I made my way over there, I realized that he was inside the room that I've been dying of curiosity about. I stood in the doorway, taking in what I was seeing in front of me. The whole east wall was covered by a huge screen, split into 6 smaller screens. One was showing the elevator whilst the others had different views of the club. I watched as bodies moved in unison with people filling the dance floor. There was also a camera behind the counter, facing all the tills as the bartenders served customers.

The opposite wall showcased guns. Each gun had its own individual spotlight. He made them look like trophies. I was seriously impressed with his collection.

Edward stood in front of the huge monitor assessing all the angles as he continued to order our food. He bent down and pulled a keyboard closer to him, with a click of a few buttons the huge screen zoomed in on a guy that kept looking around. Even to me he looked suspicious as he kept darting his eyes to the main entrance door where another huge guy stood and finally, to a set of stairs that looked like they led to an office.

I couldn't take my eyes off the screen and nearly jumped out of my skin when Edward started barking orders to someone. I watched as the huge guy started making his way through the throngs of people towards the sketchy looking guy.

"I don't give a fuck! Get him down to the warehouse and I'll deal with him later!" I watched Edward clench his fist as he kept rotating the camera to get a better view of the guy. We both watched as the huge dude grabbed the back of the guys neck and led him away from the bar. I could see he was trying to escape from big dude's grip but wasn't successful. They both walked over to a door beside the bar and I watched as the door shut behind them.

"Where's he taking him?" I asked still watching the giant screen.

"You shouldn't-" but he stopped talking as he turned to face me, I watched his eyes darken at the sight of me and I was glad I put the shirt on. His hungry gaze looked me up and down as I stood there. I gently ran my fingers up and down the collar, getting a trace of his cologne on my fingers and I quietly moaned as the scent surrounded me.

He finally hung up the phone and stalked towards me, like I was his prey. He stood in front of me, his chest rising and falling quickly as he continued to stare at me. His gaze was so intense I couldn't look away. I licked my lips as his hands continued to clench and unclench, as I stood there getting intoxicated by his proximity.

I stopped breathing as Edward reached up and dipped his index finger inside the shirt until he reached the first button I had done up in hopes of giving myself a little dignity. He pulled me into him and his hands shot to my hair as he crashed his lips to mine. He once again took control with this kiss and I tried my hardest to keep up. Edward bit my bottom lip and I moaned. He then reached back to my ass and lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around him. It seemed to be his favorite position, or he just wanted to have more control of me.

Not that I minded.

I could feel myself get wet again as I rubbed against his boxer covered cock, which was hard against me.

_God, he's just as insatiable as I am and absolutely made for me._

"Fuck," I moaned as my head thumped against the wall when his lips moved to my neck. He licked the spot that made my skin tingle and I grabbed his hair to get him to look at me.

When Edward finally looked up, his eyes were hooded and he was panting as he kept looking at my lips and then back up to my eyes.

"Say it Bella," he growled. His control slipping as he continued to grind into me.

"Fuck me," I whisper.

He reached down and freed his cock and slipped inside me, throwing his head back in pleasure. The tendons in his neck were taut as he began fucking me. There was going to be nothing slow about this.

It was going to be quick and rough. Something we were both craving by the looks of it.

His hold on my ass never relented as his skin slapped against mine with every thrust. I tried to grab onto him the best that I could as Edward picked up his pace. I reached between us and started rubbing my clit, not that I needed to because Edward's cock was reaching even deeper places in this position.

"Fuck, I love watching you touch yourself," he rasped out as he kept throwing his head back and moaning along with me.

All too soon, I felt the coil tighten inside me as my release neared closer.

"Edward baby…god, baby don't stop-" my voice caught in my throat as he kept pounding into me and hitting my g-spot. I moved my fingers away from my clit and slapped my hand against the wall, grasping it for more support.

I jumped as a buzzer sounded next to me and realized we were fucking beside the intercom in his office. Edward ignored it and kept pounding into me but the buzzing wouldn't stop. I heard him growl and then he held me up with one hand on my ass as he pressed a button on the intercom with the other.

"Yes-"

"Mr. Cullen, your food is here, should I send the delivery guy up?" I wanted to laugh at the situation but any laughter I had bubbling died down as Edward slammed into me and all I could muster was a loud moan that I'm sure the guy on the other end could hear.

"Fuck Bell-shit yeah Felix send him u," Edward released the button and grabbed onto me with both hands again.

"Felix didn't need to hear that beautiful, only I can hear you moan like that," he grunted out.

"Edward I'm so close, please baby..." I moaned again and felt my release taking over, my toes curling as I came.

"Yesssssss." Edward hissed and stilled inside me, spilling into me as I milked him with my orgasm.

My head thumped against the wall again and Edward rested his forehead on my shoulder as we both tried to catch our breath.

I heard the elevator door signal someone's arrival and Edward silently cursed as he lowered me down to my feet. He pulled up his boxers, "Stay here," he says and quickly pecked my lips and walked out of the room.

I stood there, running my fingers through my hair, trying to regulate my breathing, and then I stepped out of his office and walked towards the couch in the living room.

Two things happened at once, the delivery guy's eyes popped out as he saw me in Edwards shirt looking thoroughly fucked-once again- and Edward growled and pushed the guy back inside the elevator with force, the money he owes him pressed to the delivery guy's chest.

I laughed as Edward had a murderous look on his face as he looked at the poor kid, who was going to get shot if he didn't stop looking at me as I watched Edward's hand move to the cabinet by the door where the butt of a gun glistened.

Lucky for the pizza guy, the elevator doors began to shut. I waved and laughed when the kid groaned and moved the delivery bag in front of his crotch. But that was the last straw for Edward it seems because he actually pulled the gun out and was about to point it at the kid.

The doors finally shut but Edward hadn't moved away. Tension was rolling off him and I couldn't understand what his problem was.

"Edwar-"

"Don't! I told you to fucking stay there Bella! Now that prick knows what you look like," he seethed as he finally turned towards me. His gun still in his hand.

"I don't answer to you Edward, he's just a fucking pizza guy that's probably going to jerk off later after seeing that," I couldn't understand why he was so angry. The girls and I loved teasing the delivery guys.

It was the wrong thing to say apparently because Edward strode over to me and placed the two pizza boxes on the coffee table and then laid his gun beside it. He turned towards me and caged me with his arms on the back of the sofa, his angry, handsome face inches away from mine.

"You don't get it, do you? For all we know he works for someone that sent him here to scout out my place. Do you realize who I am Bella?! Now that punk knows what you look like," Edward was angry, fuck he was more than angry, he was fucking livid.

"You're right, I don't know who the fuck you are Edward so why don't you enlighten me?" I wasn't going to let him talk to me like that.

He searched my eyes and then pushed himself back and away from me, pacing in front of me whilst running his hands through his hair. A habit we both seem to have.

"Fuck! What are you doing to me?" he looked like he was warring with himself and I just wish he'd let me in. It was hard for me to understand the paranoia he must constantly live with.

I got off the couch and walked over to him, I assume most people are scared of him when he looks like that but I couldn't help myself. I'm a glutton for punishment it seems because I just wanted him, angry and everything. I wasn't scared of him, even as I kept glancing at the gun on the table beside us.

"Edward, look at me. I'm sorry ok, I don't have to worry about shit like people being after me because I don't live in this world you seem to be part of. But I also know you wouldn't let anything happen to me. If I have to stay away from you then I will. I don't want to, fuck I somehow can't imagine anything worse than that right now, but if you believe it's the right thing to do then I'll do it. I don't know what the hell you've done to me either because this isn't me. I was always fucking sure of myself, until you came along that is," this has got to be the most I've said to him so far I think.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him, resting his forehead against mine. My breathing once again matched his and I was dying to know what he was thinking about. I closed my eyes and we just stood there. Neither of us knowing where this was going. I wanted him, beyond just tonight because he made me feel alive. I can't remember the last time I felt like that. Yeah, I have fun with my girls and even though I don't want to become a lawyer, I take my education seriously. But tonight, Edward made me come alive and I was confident no one was ever going to make me feel like that again, even if tonight ends up being the last time I see him.

"I'd kill every fucker if they ever laid a finger on you. That scares me because nothing ever fucking scares me. If you were harmed simply because you're associated with me, I'd lose my fucking shit, Bella. I've never given a fuck about any girl before, so what makes you so different sweetheart?" his question was rhetorical and I was glad to feel the tension slowly ebbing away from him. Slightly please with the fact that I can calm him.

I grabbed his hand in mine and kissed his knuckles before I led him back over to the couch so we could sit and eat.

He fell in beside me and a scowl covered his face as he looked at his gun in front of us. He picked it up and studied it. I noticed something was engraved on the side of the handle and I reached out and took it from him. In an elegant script, the letters EAMC were engraved and they stood out in black against the sliver of the gun. I've held and fired a gun before because my dad forced me to learn how to use one.

"My mother threw a fit when dad brought a gun home and I thought she was going to lose her shit when dad made me learn how to use it," I snorted at the memory.

"You know how to use a gun?" he asked astonished.

"I'm a girl of many talents," I teased.

"I think I just came in my pants," he grinned and I playfully shoved him as I laughed. I took another look at the gun in my hand and something inside me stirred at the heavy metal. There was something extremely hot about this one, especially as Edward wrapped his talented hand around it and took it off me.

Once he set it aside, he reached for the pizza boxes and I hoped they'll still be hot, remembering just how famished I actually was.

"I don't know what you like princess so I got a meat feast and a vegetarian one," how thoughtful of him.

"I'm easy, I eat anything and everything," I tapped my flat stomach and winked at him whilst he shook his head at me and reached in for a slice. I followed suit and sat back as I took a huge bite. Good sex can make a girl hungry.

I moaned as the taste buds exploded in my mouth as I continued to eat my slice. I could feel Edward looking at me from the corner of his eye and I just winked at him. Sex and food can elicit the same sounds from me, I'm not going to apologize for that.

Edward sat back and placed his right hand on my thigh as we sat there in silence. My skin tingled at his touch and I was dying to ask him questions.

"Ok, I'm dying here! Tell me something no one knows," I threw his question back at him from earlier and I prayed he'd go along with it.

Edward chuckled before answering me. "I don't want to take over from my father. I'm an only child so it automatically falls to me but I don't want it. I can't just sit there and order people to do my bidding. I'm a hands-on sorta guy, I need to be inside the action not sit on the fucking side-lines." He got a faraway look in his eyes but then shook his head to clear it and reached out for another slice of pizza.

I tried to wrap my head around what he's told me and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. You hear about the Mob and see it on TV in films but you never stop to realize that it's real life, and it's happening around you. They don't go around announcing it but the fact is, they exist and the proof of it is sitting next to me.

"Is he aware of it?" I ask.

"No. He wouldn't understand. He took over from his father, who took over from his father, you get the picture. I mean I've got time to decide if it's something I'm willing to eventually do because my dad is not going to retire from the Mob any time soon, no matter how much my mom wishes he would," his chuckle was humorless and I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair as I kissed his shoulder, keeping my lips on his skin as he stroked my thigh absentmindedly.

It felt like we were any normal couple just talking about their day. I was finding it difficult to understand how he's managed to make me feel like that in mere hours of being together.

"Are you close with your mom?" I asked against his shoulder.

"Yeah, we were a lot closer when I still lived at home. She hates the fact that I moved out. She always says that her boys need to be under one roof. I can't imagine still living at home and bringing you back to my parent's house," I laughed; it was obvious he loves her.

"What about you?" he asked as he turned his body to face me.

"Erm our relationship is strained. For as long as I can remember, she's been trying to turn me into the dutiful daughter who will eventually marry a wealthy guy and have 2.5 children and be the perfect little housewife. I guess that's why I turned out the way I did. I don't give a shit about what her little doormat friends think of me and I'm not about to pretend to be someone I'm not. So I rebelled, but my father Charlie put his foot down when it came to my education. Like I said earlier, he wants me to be a lawyer but it's the last thing I want." I couldn't control the annoyance in my voice.

"What do you want then?" he asked sincerely like it mattered what I wanted.

"Ok but promise you won't laugh," I say as my stomach knots with nervousness.

"I cross my heart," he crossed his heart and I laughed at him again. _Who knew my little mobster was a comedian?_

"I want to be a journalist. And not the tabloid kind, I want to write about real life, I want to travel the world and write about hard-hitting facts and not about what the Kardashians are up to. My father doesn't believe in this profession hence why I'm trying to get through my last year of college and once that is done, I'm going to do a master's in journalism," I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding as I shared something with a complete stranger. Only my girls know about my wishes.

"So, you want to leave Chicago?" his voice took on a tone I wasn't expecting, he almost sounded hurt.

"Eventually, there's nothing keeping me here apart from Rose, Alice and my parents. The girls understand and promise to tag along if I ever go anywhere exotic," I laugh but quickly sobered up at his expression. He looked pained at my words and I couldn't understand why. Wasn't he the one telling me we shouldn't be together, that it wasn't safe?

"Nothing's keeping you here...right, got it." Edward turned away from me and sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he raked his fingers through his hair.

"Edward-" I reached out for him but he shot off the sofa and out of my reach.

"Don't." He wouldn't even look at me as he walked over to the counter where our drinks sat, poured my discarded glass of scotch into his own, and downed it all in one go.

He stood still for a minute and the next thing I know, the empty glass flew across the kitchen and smashed into tiny pieces as it hit the wall. The unexpected noise making me jump.

He was raging again and all I could do was watch him. I can't for the life of me understand what he was so angry about. He kept me at arm's length and then reacts like a mad man when I tell him I'm not sticking around Chicago.

"What do you want from me?" my voice sounded timid even to my own ears as I got up and walked over to him, I wasn't sure whether I was brave or stupid for approaching him when he looked so hostile.

"Fuck if I know! The thought of you leaving makes me murderous and I don't fucking understand why!" he yells as he grabs the back of my neck and kisses me with so much passion and anger it makes my knees buckle.

I don't know why but I put my hands on his shoulders and shove him away from me. I'm getting tired of him reacting to me when he's pissed off.

Edward looks at me like I've slapped him and then tries to move towards me again but stops when his phone goes off. He's seething as he stares at me and then walks into his office and grabs his cell.

"What, Emmett?!" his temper seems to have hit an all-time high and for a moment I was glad for the interruption.

I could hear the conversation from the other end of the phone clearly, and it definitely wasn't Emmett.

"Where the fuck have you taken Bella asshole?!"

_Uh-oh, Rose was pissed._


	5. Chapter 5

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 5**

_I could hear the conversation from the other end of the phone clearly, and it definitely wasn't Emmett._

_"Where the fuck have you taken Bella asshole?!"_

_Uh-oh, Rose was pissed._

"Who the fuck do you think you're talking to!?" he seethed back as his gaze turned to me. I shook my head at the situation. Pissed that my night took a turn I wasn't expecting. I thought we'd be fucking for the rest of the night, not fighting like cat and dog.

I walked over to him and held my hand out for the phone. He looked at my hand and listened to Rose rant his ear off. He turned and punched the wall before throwing the phone down onto my hand as Rose continued to rip him a new one. For a second I worried about his bleeding knuckles but my first priority was to calm Rose the hell down.

"Rose! Ros-Rosalie!" I shouted until she stopped talking.

"Bella? You're alright yes? Did he hurt you? Where the fuck are you? Why did you leave the party and why the hell are you with Edward?" She behaved like my mother sometimes and I didn't need this tonight.

"Yes, I'm fine Rose. No, he didn't hurt me and I'm at Edward's. I left because I wanted to get laid Rose, you and Alice were otherwise occupied. You've seen him, he's a hot piece of ass right?" I was hoping to lighten the mood a little but I was the only one who found it funny, well Edward's sexy smirk appeared but it left just as quickly as Rose continued to lecture me over the phone.

"Get your ass back here Isabella Swan I mean it! What were you thinking?! Do you know who he is?"

"Don't Isabella Swan me Rosalie Hale, I don't care who or what he is. After tonight I probably won't see him again so what does it matter?" I felt a lump in my throat as the words left my lips and I wouldn't dare look at Edward who now stood in front of me. Calmer than he was 2 minutes ago.

"Don't say that Isabella," he whispered as he looked like he was about to reach for me but then changed his mind and I watched as his hands clenched into fists beside him.

"If it doesn't matter then come home. You don't want to get involved with him," Rose continued on.

"You seem to be well informed Rose, what about Emmett, you going to stay away from him too seeing as he's involved with Edward?" She was such a hypocrite sometimes. I know she is looking out for me but I'm old enough to make up my own mind about him.

"It's not the same and you know it," her response was timid because she knew I called her out on her bullshit.

"Whatever. I'll see you when I get home." I hung up and passed the phone over to Edward who tossed it on the sofa we were sitting on not long ago. I wish I could go back to that moment. I hated this tension between us.

"I should take you home," he wouldn't even look at me as he said those words and it was like a stab to the heart. I was so fed up with feeling so insecure about myself, this, us, and everything else that comes with Edward.

"Why? Had enough already?" It was my turn to seethe at him. Anger was such an easy emotion to feel and I let it take over me.

"No, not even close but Rose is right, you don't want to get involved with me. I'm bad news sweetheart."

"I'm fed up with everyone telling me what the fuck I should do! I can make my own decisions about what is good for me and what isn't! Do you even realize I've never felt like this about anyone before? You turn me on and then piss me off in a matter of seconds! You scare me Edward, not because you're in the Mob but because you're making me second guess everything. I feel shit for you I've never felt before and it fucking scares me because I feel like I'm losing you already!" The fight was leaving me by the end of my little speech and my traitorous tears ran down my cheeks as I looked at the man in front of me.

Before I know it, Edward wraps his arms around me and I bury my face into his chest, scared to admit even to myself how much I love being in his arms. He gently strokes my hair and tries to soothe me.

_God, who would have thought this was how our night was going to end?_

* * *

The car ride back to the house was quiet, a complete contrast to how it was earlier in the night. I sat in Edward's sweats and a t-shirt that was way too big for me but it was extremely soft and smelled of him. I left my negligee at his, as well as my panties- which I hid under his pillow, he can keep it to remember me by.

The streets were empty and only an SUV with blacked-out windows followed us; Edward informed me it was his security when I questioned it.

I would give anything to find out what's going through his head right now because mine was a hot mess. He never confirmed or denied the fact if I'll ever see him again after he drops me home.

My stomach was twisted into knots as I recalled our whole night, the dry hump, the feel of his cock in my mouth, his mouth on me, his cock filling me and the quickie against the wall. I was deliciously sore as I crossed my legs and I knew I would still feel him in the morning.

"Fuck," I quietly muttered and saw through the corner of my eye as Edward quickly turned to look at me before he averted his eyes back on the road.

"What's wrong?" he finally asked as I kept shifting in my seat.

"I'm going to be sore for days," I blurted out, no longer giving a shit. I wasn't about to hide anything from him. What would be the point?

"You're welcome," he had the audacity to wink at me and I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face, he was taking my new favorite toy away from me.

"Thanks, Edward, thanks a lot," I couldn't stop the smile from forming on my lips. This is what I was going to miss about him, he made me feel crazy things but still managed to make me smile, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do. All I wanted was to wallow in my own self-pity as we neared closer to my sorority house.

_My name is Isabella Swan, welcome to my pity party._

The thought of going back to my mundane life was depressing. He lit a fire within me like no one ever has before and I wasn't going to let anyone put it out. I'll just have to learn to live with the memory of him.

We turned down my street and I laughed as I watched girls in lingerie do the walk of shame early hours of the morning. As he stopped the car outside my house, I took in the mess on the ground and the few bodies that were passed out on the lawn. It was going to be one hell of a clean-up in the morning.

"Fuckers," I grumbled and Edward scowled at the half-naked guys scattered around.

"Do you want me to get rid of them?" he asked as he turned to gaze at me.

"As in they'll sleep with the fishes or just off my lawn?" I couldn't help the cheesy Mob dig but I sure as hell didn't want to say goodbye to him on bad terms.

"You're a funny girl Isabella," he deadpanned. _God, why did my name sound so sexy coming from his lips?_

"No it's fine, I'll set Alice on them in the morning. She'll like a little sergeant, scary as shit," I laughed as I placed my hand on the handle and opened the door.

He followed suit and got out of the car, walking around to my side and placing his arm around my shoulders, bringing my body into his. His huge arms engulfed me and I inhaled his scent for the umpteenth time tonight. Storing it to memory. I was never going to wash this top either.

Edward placed his index finger under my chin and brought my face up to look at him. He leaned down and captured my lips in his, I kissed him back with as much passion as I could muster.

I didn't want him to forget me.

"Take care, Isabella Swan," he said as we pulled apart.

"Try not to shoot any delivery guys Edward Cullen," I refused to say goodbye to him, I don't want to believe the fact I'll never see him again.

I walked up the path, my heels hanging loosely in my hand as I dodged plastic cups. I heard the car door slam shut but I refused to turn around and watch him drive off.

"Hey!" he shouts over the engine with his window rolled down.

"What?" I turn to look at him, trying to will my tears not to spill before I can get inside the house.

"Just wanted to have another look at you," Edward smirked, biting his bottom lip slightly and then he sped off my drive, the SUV following behind him.

As I watched his rear lights disappear down the street, I wondered if I dodged a bullet or just lost the love of my life.

* * *

The morning was brutal, the sun was already high up in the sky by the time Alice bounced on my bed to get me to wake up.

"Where the hell did you go off to last night?" she asked, tilting her head at me as she took in my sleeping attire.

"I was with Edward," was my only response.

"The bronze hair hottie?"

"Yeah Alice. Can we not do this? I really don't want to talk about it," I couldn't even bring myself to discuss the night I had with one of my best friends who looked too happy for her own good.

"Just one more question. How big was he?" I laughed and hit her with my pillow, she fell off my bed and my cheeks hurt from laughing.

I needed this.

"Let's just say I couldn't fit all of him in my mouth and I needed both hands to cover him," I winked at her and laughed harder when her eyes popped out of her sockets.

"You lucky, lucky bitch! When are you seeing him again?" Alice asked excitedly.

"I'm no-"

"Hopefully never. He's bad news, Alice" was Rosalie's input.

I scowled at her but she scowled right back at me. I really didn't need her giving me shit about Edward, not today, not ever.

"Don't, Rose. I'm not in the mood, you said your piece last night," I got out of bed and threw on some denim cut-offs, I reluctantly took his t-shirt off and put on my bra and white cropped top.

"Do I wanna know?" Alice asked as she looked at both of us.

"No shorty. It's not worth getting into," I walked out of my room and greeted some of the other girls who were taking the party streamers off the banisters. There was no way in hell I was going to start the clean-up before I get some coffee in my bloodstream.

Whilst I waited for the coffee machine to come to life, I felt a pair of small arms wrap themselves around me and I hugged her back to me. Before I could say thanks, another pair of arms wrapped around us and I looked over at Rosalie who looked apologetic.

She mouthed "sorry" and kissed my temple, squeezing me one more time and then they both stepped back and started barking orders.

"Ali, there are half-naked males out on our lawn, get rid of them," I laughed as Rose set her loose. I followed both of them out with my cup of coffee and a black sack.

Music blared out as all the girls continued to clean up and get the house to look respectable again. I was beginning to feel like myself again as the day went on but it didn't stop me from thinking about Edward.

I wondered what he was doing right now and I wondered what happened to the weird guy from the club. He ordered the big guy to take him to a warehouse and I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to him. He was clearly someone Edward needed answers from. I didn't dare to think about how he would be getting said answers.

"Girl's don't forget we're doing the annual car wash tomorrow morning. Alice and I have already been out and picked out the outfits and hopefully we'll be able to raise even more money this year," Rose suddenly said as she turned the music down.

We've been doing this car wash since our freshman year and each time, Rose and Alice had us dressed in the most ridiculously skimpy outfits. Last year we were dressed as naughty school teachers, hair in a tight bun, black-rimmed glasses hanging on the edge of our noses, tight white shirts and tight, black pencil skirts. She threw in some stockings for good measure. All I'm going to say is that it will take a lot to beat our last year's total. And last year's outfits were very fucking unpractical. I think we all managed to rip our skirts and some of us lost a lot of buttons on their shirts too.

It was all going towards a good cause though, the Women's Shelter. It was something we were all passionate about.

"What is the dress code this year?" Jessica asked as the rest of the girls waited patiently for the response. We always have fun during these car washes. Even some of the male professors like to pop over and get us to wash cars that were perfectly clean. _Sick bastards._

"White t-shirts and black boy shorts," Alice bounced on the spot excitedly.

"Bras are optional," she added and glanced over to the newer girls who looked slightly worried. I just shook my head as I laughed at their choice of outfit for this year.

My phone buzzed, alerting me of a message but I didn't recognize the number. I opened up the message and those damn butterflies returned.

**Emmett gave me your number, I hope you don't mind. I can't stop thinking about you beautiful. I can still taste your pussy on my tongue-E**

That said pussy clenched as I read and re-read the text over and over again. I quickly saved Edward's number on my phone. Still shocked at the fact he messaged me at all considering the way we parted ways, I never expected to hear from him.

_**Tyler you never ate my pussy, I doubt you'd be able to find it even if I drew you a map.-****B**_

I wanted to tease him a little. He can't go around jump-starting my heart like this.

**Who the fuck is Tyler?!-E**

_Bingo. Just the reaction I was looking for._

_**I'm kidding Cullen. I don't know how I feel about some Mobster having my number though. What are your intentions with me?-B**_

I teased and couldn't help but bite my lip with anticipation at his response.

**To bend you over my desk and hear you scream my name as I fuck you from behind.-E**

_Fuck._

_**Edward..-B**_

Was my only response because he knew damn well how I felt about him. I didn't want to play games anymore because now there are feelings involved. Feelings I hope he returned.

My phone started to ring and his name popped up, Alice glanced at me and I excused myself, I didn't want to answer this in public.

"I'm sorry beautiful, I know I'm probably sending you mixed signals but I can't stop fucking thinking about you. Especially since I found your little present under my pillow. Your scent was still so strong on them Isabella, I didn't think twice before I wrapped them around my cock and stroked myself until I couldn't see straight," just hearing him talk made me breathless.

"Edward you seriously can't say shit like that, especially when I can't do anything about it," I groaned into the phone and wanted to smack him when he laughed. God, I fucking missed his voice and it's only been hours since I saw him.

"What would you do if you were here?" he teased.

"I'd scoot to the edge of your huge bed, my head hanging down the foot of the bed as you stood in front of me with your cock dripping for me. I'd grab your ass and bring you closer to me and take you into my mouth whilst you played with my tits. Driving me crazy the only way you know how," I put on my most sultry voice as I pictured what I was saying.

Oh well, I'm already going to hell, might as well enjoy it.

"You play dirty Isabella," Edward groaned out.

"What are you wearing?" He tried to sound coy but it came out breathy as he tried not to laugh.

"My birthday suit, it's Naked Saturdays at the house," _Two can play at that game._

"Please tell me you're joking!?" he barked out.

"You mean you don't like the sound of a house full of naked girls? What's wrong with you?" I laughed and reveled at how easy it was to talk to him.

"I'm only interested in one naked girl," he left it at that and I heard the distinct sound of typing.

"Where are you?" I wondered

"In the office at the club," he mumbled as something caught his attention. We were both quiet, I felt immediately calm listening to him breathe.

"I can go if I'm disturbing you,"

"Not at all beautiful and I was the one who called you," we were quite again.

"I want to see you, Bella. What are you doing tomorrow?"

_God, was I playing with fire? I really didn't want to get burned again._

"I'm busy in the morning but I'm free tomorrow afternoon," _who was I kidding? I wasn't about to deny myself from seeing Edward._

"Perfect, I'll pick you up at 2, wear something nice." And with that he hung up as I heard someone shouting his name- the voice sound weirdly familiar- before the line went dead. Whoever it was, was definitely pissed off with him.

I tried to think about what I should wear when I walked straight into Rosalie and Alice who were leaning against the wall staring at me.

"Was that Edward?" Rose asked as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Yeah Rose. You going to give me shit about it again?" I really didn't want to be fighting with her about him again.

"No sweetie and I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Emmett speaks highly of Edward, and the handful of times that I met him, he's been nothing but lovely towards me. I panicked and I'm sorry," her cold exterior melted and I wrapped my arms around her, giving her a quick kiss on the lips to assure her there's no bad blood between us.

"Thanks, Rosie. Girls I'm truly fucked, like seriously ruined. I had the best sex of my life last night, yet we fight like cats and dogs. But there is so much passion between us, I really feel like it could go somewhere you know? We both said shit to each other last night that I regret and I genuinely thought I'd never hear from him again let alone see him. But Edward's picking me up tomorrow at 2, he said he wants to see me," I couldn't hold in my squeal of excitement and the girls joined in.

"Jasper proposed to me last night as I sucked his dick…" _wait, back the fuck up._

_What?!_

"Erm, and when were you going to tell us bitch? What did you say back to him?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"I said yes!" she squealed whilst Rosalie and I kept staring at her.

"You guys don't understand. He's THE one, like the REAL one this time. I can't even describe it, it's like I've been waiting for him my whole life. I feel like we spent the whole night just getting to know each other and that solidified my answer. I could kiss Emmett for bringing Jazzy here last night. I saw stars you guys!" Her energy was infectious. I wasn't about to question her feelings seeing as I managed to fall for a guy in the fucking Mob.

_Who was I to judge?_

"You sluts get some big dicks inside you and the next minute you're marrying them?!" Rose wasn't sure whether to laugh or shake us.

"Hey don't look at me, I'm not marrying anyone," was my clever response as they both rolled their eyes at me.

"You guys, we're eloping in Vegas so you better be there because I'm not doing this without you two," Alice wrapped her arms around our shoulders and brought us together in a group hug. We all squealed whilst we jumped around on the spot, finally sharing her excitement properly.

"Ok, I need you both to help me choose what I'm going to wear tomorrow, for the car wash as well as my date with Cullen,"

"Where is he taking you?" Alice asked as she simultaneously typed something on her phone and pressed send.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me. The phone call actually ended quite abruptly so I didn't even get a chance to ask him," I shrugged as I watched my best friend ponder this.

"Do you think he was about to pop a cap in someone's ass?" Her eyes bugged out as she said it. I tried extremely hard not to laugh at her.

"Ali, you watch too many movies. No one says that," I ruffled her short hair as I walked passed her and into my bedroom, heading straight for the closet.

"How do you know? You've spent only one night with him and already you think you know the lingo?" she challenged me with a raised eyebrow.

"You're right, I don't know. Next time I see him, I'll ask," I winked at her as she jumped on my bed and bounced a little when she landed.

"Seriously you two, they definitely don't talk like that. Only Emmett would say something stupid like that Alice," Rose added as she was trying to take a sexy selfie, no doubt sending it to Emmett.

"Here, let me take that for you. Put your hands in your hair like you're about to fluff it and bend forward just a little so we can get a better view of your cleavage," I instructed her as I kept snapping pictures of my gorgeous friend. "Ok now pout just a little. Amazing! Okay now bite your finger and pretend like you're innocent. Perfect! Oh my god, he is going to blow his load when he sees these," I took a few more shots of her, even Alice joined in and they were leaning into each other, pretending they were about to kiss.

Alice asked me to send her those pictures so she could send them to 'Jazzy'.

They were both pretty much useless to me after that. Lost in their phones to their significant others.

After rummaging through my closet, I finally decided on a pair of black high waist skinny jeans, a nude body top that had an open back, and a pair of black over the knee heeled boots. The evenings were starting to get a little chilly so I also decide on taking my leather jacket just in case we'll be outside.

I seriously couldn't wait to see him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 6**

The rest of Saturday stayed uneventful. I hadn't heard from Edward since his phone call at lunch but Rose said she had spoken to Emmett who told her he was busy with Edward today. Something about a shipment coming in but he wouldn't go into any more detail.

Alice had her nose buried in her phone since trying to help me pick my outfit and she would giggle every time it went off. I seriously didn't want to know what they were talking about. However, the girls did inform me that the pictures were a success.

Later that night I lay on my stomach in bed, my laptop in front of me as I tried to do some research for class. But my mind kept going back to last night. Every time I moved today I ached, and what a delicious ache it was. Never before have I felt the way Edward has made me feel. I kept picturing his green eyes as they drank me in. The way his tongue set my body alight. And his voice, my god his voice was just pure sex.

There was no way I was going to get any work done now so I shut my laptop and turned on my back, my knees bent as I stared at the ceiling. I should really consider installing a mirror up there as Rose suggested. She even gave me the number of the guy who installed hers.

I lay there thinking of how delicious Edward's ass would look clenching as he thrust into me.

Gosh, he's not even here and he's turning me on. I could already feel my panties getting wetter at just the thought of him.

I finally closed my eyes and gave into the memories of last night.

I gently ran my fingers over my peaked nipples and moaned as I pictured it was Edward doing it. My back arched off the bed slightly as I continued to play with them. Pinching just a little bit harder every time. My hands were too small to grab my own boobs so I just did the best I could. I loved that they were more than a handful yet they fit perfectly in Edward's big hands.

_He did say I was made for him._

My pussy clenched at the thought of his hands. I ran my right hand down my stomach and into my panties to tease my clit, thinking about how his tongue teased me there last night.

"Fuck," I moaned out, trying to stay as quiet as I could so I didn't wake anyone. Luckily there was a bathroom between my room and Alice's. Plus, the girl slept like the dead.

I looked up and watched my hand inside my pink panties when an idea comes to mind. I grabbed my phone and quickly snapped a picture. You can definitely see what my hand was doing even though it was inside my underwear. I scrolled through my phone and selected Edward's name, quickly pressing send before I chickened out.

It only took 2 seconds for him to text back.

When I opened the message, I groaned in hunger for him and that delicious hard-on I could see in the picture Edward attached in reply. He had angled it from above, I could see a corner of that sexy smirk as well as his toned abs and then the glory that was his bulge.

I nearly dropped the phone out of my hand as it suddenly started ringing.

"I was really hoping it would be a dick pic," I teased as I picked up. My breathing speeding up as I continued to play with myself.

There was silence on the other end. The only thing I could hear was Edward's quick panting breaths.

"Edward," I moaned as I dipped my fingers inside, the palm of my hand rubbing against my clit now.

I'm freaking ruined. He hasn't even uttered a word but just the thought of him listening to me on the other end of the line was driving me to the brink of my orgasm.

"Let me hear it, Isabella," his voice sounded rough, like he was losing control.

I moved my phone down to where my hand was. I tried extremely hard to stay quiet so he could hear how wet I was for him. I put him on speaker just in time to hear him curse and then say my name.

"This is how wet you've made me and you're not even here. God, Edward, I would do anything to have you between my legs right now, filling me with that delicious cock. Going deeper and deeper with every thrust. You play my pussy so well baby," I moaned and I heard him curse again, followed by some shuffling and the unmistakable sound of a belt buckle being undone as his zipper followed.

I turned my phone up, hoping I'll be able to catch the sound of his cock slapping against his stomach as he set himself free.

And boy he did not disappoint.

"I feel like I've had a constant hard-on for you since I got back to my apartment last night after dropping you home. My whole place smells of sex, and then those panties Isabella. Fuck me you are a naughty girl," he rasped out as his breathing picked up and I could hear the sound of him pumping his cock.

"I wanted to leave you something to remember me by. I didn't think I'd see you again the way we left things," I panted as I was getting closer to my release. I was sure he could hear it in my voice.

"Mmmm you're close Isabella, I can hear it sweetheart. I want you to cum for me, cum like you did on my tongue. Your pussy is so sweet Bella. I was wrong, I can't fucking let you walk out of my life just like that. I need more," it was like music to my ears hearing him say that.

I moved my fingers faster inside of me and pressed my palm harder against my clit. My fingers were definitely not long enough to make me come with them alone. I knew what I like and how I liked it by now, so reaching my tipping point wasn't going to be an issue.

I just wanted Edward to follow me there.

"Shit, I can't hold it much longer. Please, baby, tell me you're close, I want you to come all over that stomach and know if I was there, I would swallow every single drop you give me," I moaned and prayed to God no one else was up this late in the night.

"Fuck Isabella, do me a favor beautiful, get up and look out your window. And keep playing with your pussy baby," I was momentarily confused but did as he asked.

I got up from my bed and walked over to my bay window, placing both of my knees up on the cushioned seat as I continued to move my fingers in and out of me. My panties restricting me slightly.

My breath caught in my throat as I watched Edward sitting in his car outside the house. His window was rolled down and I was able to watch his own hand pumping him. He had a tight grip on his cock as he moved his hand up and down. His eyes locked in on my own movements.

I carried on watching him- mesmerized. Wishing he was in my room with me and not on the other side of the window.

"Why didn't you tell me you were here?" I moaned.

"I was just going to drive by, I didn't think you'd still be up and then I got your message. I couldn't resist beautiful," I could clearly see his lips moving as he spoke into the phone and I watched as he bit his lip and threw his head back as I continued to play with my pussy and my nipples.

"I want that cock Edward," I demanded and just the thought of having him here in my bedroom sent me over the edge. "Shit yes yes yesssss," I panted as I sat back on my calves slightly, with my legs still spread. Just like if I was riding him.

"Fuck!" he groaned and I watched with hooded eyes as he lifted his t-shirt up and held it between his teeth as his seed spilled across him.

_God that was hot. _

"Yeah, it was," he let out a laugh and I didn't realize I'd said it out loud.

"Why don't you come up and I'll help you get cleaned up," I prayed he would agree.

"I wish baby but I've got to take care of something. I want nothing more than to climb up the side of this house and into your room, spread you wide open and feast on you," He teased as he reached behind his seat and lifted up what looked like a gym top and proceeded to wipe his stomach clean.

"God woman, the last time I came on my stomach like that I was a teenager!" He laughed and I giggled at him. Just enjoying watching him.

"I can't wait for our date tomorrow," I couldn't stop the smile even if I wanted to. I didn't care that I sounded sappy.

"Any way you can get out of whatever you gotta do tomorrow morning?" he pleaded and I felt giddy at the fact that he wanted to spend more time with me.

"No, sorry baby, gotta wash those cars I'm afraid, I promised the girls I'd help," I replied. Wishing the annual car wash wasn't this Sunday.

I watched as he tossed the ruined t-shirt back behind him and just looked at me.

"Ok beautiful I really need to go now, I've kept the asshole waiting long enough. Can't let Demetri have all the fun. I'll see you tomorrow at 2, pack an overnight bag too. I've got plans for you tomorrow night and I'm not letting you fucking leave this time," he winked when I giggled again.

I lifted my fingers up to wave at him, "see you tomorrow Edward. Thanks for tonight."

"My pleasure angel," and with that, he hung up and I watched him drive away, tires screeching as he went.

I walked back over to my bed and fell back on it. I couldn't hold in the giggle as I kicked my legs in the air with excitement.

Tomorrow couldn't come quickly enough.

* * *

Sunday morning we were all up early setting up for the car wash. Buckets were being filled and we all got our sponges ready. Banners and balloons were scattered all over the street so that any passers-by could come and get their car washed, and not just the college faculty. We had to recruit another sorority house of girls to make sure we had big enough groups for each car to get the job done quicker.

Rose and I gave the girls a little pep talk before the cars started pulling in. We told them that if anyone made them uncomfortable, to come to us and we'll deal with them. Some guys get too excited about half-naked wet girls on their cars. Alice told us it was a testosterone thing, she was the Psych major, we weren't going to argue with that. Plus, it made sense.

Quite quickly the front lawn was full of cars and wet half-naked girls. Once again, the annual car wash was becoming a hit and we had a queue of cars lined up. Although Rose, Alice and myself were only supervising and taking in the payments, we still got our hands sudsy because it was too much fun not to join in.

Even the Dean made an appearance.

Most of the cars were full of boys trying to get a peek at our goods but we weren't about to turn them down. They all came with money so who were we to stop them from spending it. Like I said yesterday, it's all for a good cause.

Alice and I were getting down and dirty on one car. I threw my head back, laughing as Alice sprayed me with the hose, making my white t-shirt cling to my breast. I didn't wear a bra today but my nipples were hidden behind the print on my t-shirt, it was a pair of pedicured hands holding up middle fingers, the tops of those fingers covering my peeked nipples.

I watched as the guy behind the wheel looked disappointed he couldn't see the nips and his wife looked pissed off as hell that he kept staring.

You'd be surprised how many kinky women took their husbands to our car wash. I was sure they got off on it once they got home, I quickly banished the thought as soon as it came.

I was kneeling on top of the bonnet, soaping up the windscreen when I heard the now all too familiar rumble of his car and screeching of tires. A surge of excitement ran through me as the same black Escalade came to a stop across the street. I watched Edward's brows furrow when he got out to the car as he took in the scene before him and then he caught sight of me.

I swear his hand twitched as he shot murdering looks to the guy behind the wheel of the car I was washing. I watched as Jasper ran up behind him and placed his hand on Edward's shoulder. But it did nothing to calm him as he continued to stalk towards me.

I watched his hands clench and unclench as he wove between cars and tried to avoid getting wet. It wasn't long before he was in front of me.

"Wanna tell me what the fuck you are doing Isabella?" _damn my man was pissed._

"Washing a car genius. What the fuck does it look like I'm doing?" I countered back. I swear if this was a cartoon, he'd have steam coming out of his ears with how angry he looked.

"Get off that fucking car and put some fucking clothes on," he ordered.

I folded my arms in front of me and stayed put. I wasn't moving until he asked nicely. But my god was I turned on. His mere presence did this to me so you can imagine what it's like when we're actually touching or kissing. Something I was dying to do as he stood before me, seething.

"Isabella." He said.

"Edward." I countered.

_This was fun._

A few of the people were now looking at us and a few of the guys looked worried but didn't dare get out of their cars to ask if everything was alright. Especially when they saw Emmett make his way over to us. He slapped Edward on the back and leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"Damn B, looking good sugar," he whistled and then stretched his arms out as Rose ran towards him and jumped into his waiting arms.

_Was it so hard to get the same reaction from Edward?_

I looked over at Alice and Jasper, she was perched on his back and he was laughing when she ran her soapy fingers through his hair. They actually looked great together and I loved how happy she was.

I was just about to turn to look back at Edward but I was suddenly lifted off the bonnet and thrown over his shoulder. I screamed and laughed at the same time as I was face to face with his delicious ass. _Damn the boy wears jeans extremely well._

I lifted my head up as a few more people joined in my laughter and watched me being carried inside the house.

"Baby put me down!" I screamed and placed my hand on his shoulder to lift myself up a little as all the blood was rushing to my head. All Edward did was smack my ass and turn towards the stairs, he carried me up the stairs and then walked down the hall to my bedroom when he asked me which door was mine.

He shut the door with his foot and walked over to my bed, threw me down and hovered over me. His eyes were fierce as he dragged them down my body, focusing on my breast and the way my t-shirt clung to me. I swear I heard him growl. He reached for the hem of my top and with both hands ripped it all the way to the neckline. I was panting by now and arched into his hands as he grabbed my bare breasts, pinching the nipples as he squeezed.

"I'm the only asshole who gets to see these tits. Do you understand? They're mine Bella," he growled as he reached down and captured one in his mouth.

"Yes baby, yours. All yours Edward," I moaned and grabbed his hair as he continued to lick and bite my right nipple. I wrapped my legs around his waist and brought him down on me. The feel of his gun against my leg made me shiver, but in a good way. It was just another reminder of how dangerous Edward is and a realization that I didn't care.

"Do you have any idea what I wanted to do to those pricks staring at what's mine? Why didn't you tell me this is what you were doing before I picked you up?" He removed his hands from my tits and sat up a little, still pinning me down with his gaze and his hands by my head.

"I did tell you, last night. I told you I was helping the girls wash the cars," I panted as I wished he'd place his hands back where they were a moment ago.

"You failed to mention you'll be half-naked and washing cars for the whole neighborhood," he remarked. I huffed out a laugh at the semantics of it.

"It's something we have done every year, we're raising money for the Women's Shelter. So what if we use our bodies to get more people to come? They can gawk as much as they want as long as we get our money. Plus we have a lot of fun doing it. Are you seriously mad at me about this?"

"I don't want them looking at what's mine," he continued on to say.

"You keep saying that, I don't remember you asking me to be yours though Edward," I turned and scooted out from underneath him so I could think clearly without being dazzled by him.

Not that it was easy.

I sat on my bay window and faced him, my legs crossed in front of me as I looked at him. Images of last night flitting through my head as I watched him come undone outside this window.

I needed to know what he wants from me.

Because I knew what I wanted.

It was him, Edward Cullen, the Mob Prince who was apparently destined to take over from his father. The guy who was constantly on my mind since I met him. The guy who drives me absolutely crazy and turns me on at the same time. He was changing me, making me believe I can have actual feelings for a guy that go beyond just being physical.

He moved and sat at the foot of my bed, warm eyes, a sexy crooked smile and a slight tilt to his head as he assessed me. His eyes darting to my chest where the split t-shirt stayed open, partially covering my nipples.

"I thought it was obvious,"

"How exactly has it been obvious? You told me it's not safe to be around you, that I put myself at risk simply knowing you. You keep pushing me away and then you're devouring me like I'm your last meal. I told you how I feel about you," I got up to walk towards him because I couldn't stand the distance anymore and I was drawn to him like a magnet. He opened his legs up so I could stand between them. His hands going straight to my ass as my fingers woven into his hair. "And then you ask me out on a date, later drive by my house and get me off without even touching me. Me being the idiot that I am just go along with it because I want _you_ to be _mine_. And I know the risk I'm taking but I don't give a fuck. All I want is you," I whisper the last part as I tilt his head up and capture his lips in mine. This kiss is slow. I open my mouth and our tongues begin to caress. He's kneading my ass as I move to straddle him.

I was beginning to see a pattern, every time we have a conversation I either end up on top of him or under him. It was purely selfish on my part because I just wanted to feel him. He exudes power and I was drawn to it. Giving up my control to someone who knows how to control. Something none of the other guys I've been with could do. He would make one sexy Dom, not that I was into that sorta thing but I've got a friend who dabbles in it and she was more than happy to overshare.

"How do you do it?" I ask.

"Do what?" He tilts his head again.

"Have you noticed how every time we try to talk about what the hell is going on between us, we end up in some compromising positions. Like right now for example. I can feel every inch of you under me and all I want is to have you on my bed," I smirked as his eyes turned dark with desire.

"I usually wouldn't stop you but I want to take you out like I promised. If I fuck you now, we won't leave at all," he swatted my ass and I got off him. He was right of course. And I was really looking forward to this date.

"Ok well you can either stay here and wait for me or you can go back down and be with the guys," I told him as I laid my clothes out over my desk chair.

He chuckled and laid back on my bed, arms behind his head, he went as far as closing his eyes to emphasize he wasn't going anywhere.

"I've spent all night with those fuckers. I'm quite comfortable right here," he patted my bed and then shifted a bit, to make himself more comfortable.

I quickly ran up to him and leaned down to capture his lips in mine again. "Ok, I won't be long," I promised and stood back up, walking over to my bathroom, I closed the door behind me. No need to tempt myself or him.

I started the shower up and quickly got rid of my wet clothes, securing my hair into a grip, I let the steamy shower engulf me. Stepping under the spray I let the car soap wash off my body, any tension I may have held on to also left my body and I grabbed the loofa, squirting some floral-scented body wash and started to lather my body with it. I was glad I didn't need to shave, waxing definitely saved time.

After rinsing off I turned off the shower and stepped onto my plush bath mat. Wriggling my toes at the softness; I was a real girly girl when it came to soft comfortable things like plush rugs and fluffy towels. Don't get me started on fuzzy socks! I have a huge draw full of them. Chicago gets real cold and I'm definitely prepared. Last winter our central heating bust and it took forever for someone to come out and fix it so we had to stock up. Just one of the other reasons why I was desperate to get out of Chicago and into a warmer climate.

I wrapped a soft white towel around me and stepped out of my bathroom, what I found made me stop in my tracks.

Edward stood by my bedside table with my vibrator in his hand. He was looking at it in distaste like it offended him.

"You can borrow it if you'd like," I swear he jumped a little when I spoke.

"Why the hell have you got this?" _Was he serious?_

"To make me come?" I said it slowly, unsure what he meant exactly. I thought it was pretty obvious.

"You can get rid of it now then. You've got me for that," he smirked as he walked over to my wastebasket and let it drop.

I stood there stunned, I couldn't believe he just threw my vibrator out! I carried on staring at it as the bottom end stuck out the basket. I didn't have time to deal with shit now though as I needed to get dressed.

"You're unbelievable," I muttered and shook my head at him whilst he stood there staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You look beautiful," he said as he walked over to me.

"Thanks, baby," I replied as I got up on my tiptoes and kissed him. He seemed so at ease here in my small bedroom, I noticed it smelled of him when I got out of the bathroom. I'll have to make sure to shut my door when we leave so I can hopefully keep it for a little longer.

"Ok sit please, I need to get dressed and you're distracting me," I shooed him away and he just laughed at me and tugged on my towel, I smirked and stepped away from it as it pooled at my feet.

I put on a bit of a show for him as I got dressed. Starting with slowly pulling the top up my body, it had the clips at the crotch, but there's no way I was going to clip it together after I had it on, no one could make that look sexy. I loved this top though, as it hugged my body like second skin. Forgoing a bra because the top was backless, I then reached up and released my hair from the grip, slowly shaking it out as is hung down my back. I turned away from him as I reached for my jeans, slowly pulling them up my legs too. I smirked a little as I heard him groan behind me whilst I jumped around a little, making my ass shake in the process. I quickly flipped my hair forward as I bent over, wiggling my ass a little and laughing when he cursed. I shook my hair out and then quickly flipped it back as I stood straight. I turned my head to the side and found Edward adjusting himself as he smirked at me.

I walked over to the mirror and applied some mascara when Edward's phone rang. What made my eyebrow quirk up was the fact that it was the theme of Godfather. I laughed as he answered it.

"Dad," he said.

_No freaking way!_

I could hear Edward's father on the other side of the line greet his son with adoration.

"Edward my boy, your mother has been pestering me about you coming over for dinner tonight. How about you get her off my balls and finally bring your scrawny ass over to our house?" I heard a deep chuckle.

It wasn't what I expected his father to sound like. I thought he'd be stern; the way Edward spoke about him made it seem like he was this hard-hitting man. I was clearly wrong. And that voice sounded eerily familiar.

"Not tonight dad, I've got a date," he quickly raked his fingers through his hair and then rubbed the back of his neck as he waited for his dad's response. I couldn't believe he actually told his father that.

"Oh thank god, your mom and I were starting to believe you're gay son. Why don't you bring your date tomorrow night then?" I could hear the chuckle from the other end of the phone as he was busting his son's balls.

"What the fuck dad?! You know I'm not gay, you've seen me with girls before. And no thanks, I already have something planned with Isabella," I watched as he quickly glanced at me.

"Bring her here Edward. Otherwise, I'm setting your mother on you. And you know she's been pimping you out to her friends, you know the ones with the desperate daughters. You wouldn't want that now would you?" there was more chuckling.

_The fuck did he just say?_

"What?!" I growled


	7. Chapter 7

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 7**

_"Bring her here Edward. Otherwise, I'm setting your mother on you. And you know she's been pimping you out to her friends, you know the ones with the desperate daughters. You wouldn't want that now would you?" there was more chuckling._

_The fuck did he just say?_

_"What?!" I growled_

"Shit, you're getting me in trouble you old fart!" Edward then walked over to me "I promise I'm not interested Bella, my mother has been trying to set me up with someone for a while now. She's under the impression I need to settle down and start a family," he raked his fingers through his hair again and tugged on it. This time it was my turn to have steam coming out of my ears.

"I swear I'll cut a bitch that thinks she can dig her ratty ass claws in you!" I growled as I grabbed a hairbrush and pointed it at Edward's throat. "Tell them we'll be there tomorrow, it seems like your mother and I need to have a chat," I raised my eyebrow daring him to argue.

"But you and I were supposed to be fuck-"

"You do know I'm still here right? I don't need to hear that shit Edward Anthony!" his father growled and laughed at the same time.

Shit, I didn't want his father to hear how possessive I am. All the other parent's I've met love me, I couldn't have his parents not liking me.

"Fine, tell mom we'll be there. You owe me dad, big time. Let's see how much you'll like having blue balls after tomorrow," Edward snarked.

"Great, I can't wait to meet your little spitfire. We'll see you later kid," and with that, the call ended and Edward threw daggers at the phone as he placed it back in his pocket.

I glared at him as I continued to apply my make-up. After running the lipstick over my lips, I turned back to my desk and picked up the leather jacket and my knee highs, I quickly slipped them on and then turned to pick up my overnight bag, checking that my purse and keys were there too.

"Bella wait," he grabbed my hand before I could leave my room and I dropped my bag in frustration. I still tried to wrap my head around the fact that his mom has been setting him up with these women. I was too scared to ask just how many of those women he's been out with already.

I wasn't stupid enough to think he was innocent before I came into his life because that would make me a hypocrite. I've had my fair share of men, but I've only dated a couple of them. None of which lasted…clearly.

The thought of Edward being with another woman made me angry all over again and I reached up and hit his chest.

"What the fuck?" I tried to do it again but he caught my wrist. "Will you stop fucking hitting me?! What did I do? You're the one who agreed to have dinner at my parent's house tomorrow. I had something completely different planned," he defended himself and I was pissed off he didn't understand what I was angry about.

"God I could fucking shoot you right now!" I huffed in annoyance and he reached behind him and took out his gun, holding it out in front of me and looking me dead in the eyes.

"Do it. Don't fucking make empty threats if you're not going to follow through Bella, it will get you killed one day," he snarled back at me and I flinched at his words. It was like a bucket of ice water was being thrown over me as his words sunk in.

Could being with him get me killed? I did tell him that I knew what I was getting myself into but do I really know what my life will become? Will there be a day when I will have to pull the trigger on someone? _Will I be able to?_

"Fuck! I keep messing this up. Shit princess, I'm sorry. It's something my father has ingrained in me since I was a kid. No one will ever hurt you Bella, I promise you beautiful," he put the gun back where it was and cradled my face in his hands, resting his forehead against mine as my breathing picked up.

"How can you know that?" I whispered, too scared to utter the words out loud.

"Because you've got me. I know I have gone about this backwards and you're right, I never told you just how I feel about you. Sweetheart, you've fucking flipped my world upside down in mere minutes and I don't understand how. I've spent the majority of that night thinking of ways to get you back. I nearly turned the car around when I got to my apartment and drove back to you but I thought you might be pissed with me and I was a little afraid of running into Rose if I sneaked in," he chuckled and I snorted.

"You make me feel things I've never felt before either. I used to be more of the fuck 'em and dump 'em sorta guy, and before you, I've not been with anyone for a year and a half. My hand and my dick become quite close in that time," I laughed out loud this time. A little bit glad he hasn't been with anyone for a while before we slept together.

"What I'm trying to say is that I like how you make me feel. You're so real Bella, there's nothing fake about you, including your tits which were a nice surprise. I want you to be my girl Isabella Swan," he confessed and I felt this unknown weight being lifted off my shoulder as he finally uttered those words. The urge to kiss him was so strong it shook me. I grabbed his top and brought him closer to me so I could do just that. His lips were so soft against mine and his urgency matched my own. He left me breathless and I wanted to crawl inside him by this point.

When we pulled apart, I couldn't help but tease him.

"You seriously haven't been with anyone in over a year?" I questioned. Even though all I wanted was to dance in excitement at his declaration.

"Of course that's the thing you would focus on," he rolled his eyes but they were happy when he looked back at me. "Yeah, it's been a while. No one caught my interest for a while and I've been avoiding my mother because she was adamant I needed to meet someone," I growled again and something like realisation crossed his face.

"Is that why you hit me?" he snorted

"Don't! It's not funny! I'm seriously going to have a chat with your mother Edward! I swear if some hussy comes up to you and tries it, you better not be carrying because I will have that gun in my hand before she can even fucking utter your name," I sneered, never before have I felt jealousy like this. I even scared myself a little. I_ really need to calm the fuck down._

"As much as I'd love to see that, you have nothing to worry about baby. I'm a one-woman man, I can promise you that. It's kinda hot how jealous you are though," he winked and then wrapped his arms around my shoulders and brought me in closer to him. I wrapped my arms around him and inhaled deeply, allowing his scent to calm me. We stood like that for a while before my stomach grumbled and his laughter shook us.

"Come on let's go feed that beast. I promised to take you out," he bent down and grabbed my overnight bag and slunk it over his shoulder, grabbing my hand with his free one. I looked back to check if I missed anything as we walked out of my bedroom and closed the door behind us once I was sure I had everything with me. As we turned to go down the stairs, Rose and Emmett emerged from her bedroom, both looking dishevelled with satisfied grins on their faces. I can't believe I had Edward in my bedroom and I didn't cum once.

"You two heading out?" Rose asked as she looked at our joined hands, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Yeah, we're gonna go grab a bite to eat and then I'm taking Bella to the shooting range," Edward admitted and I turned to gawk at him because this is the first time he's mentioned what we'll be doing. I was pleasantly surprised he remembered I could shoot. I was even more excited now. I wasn't sure what seeing him fire a gun will do to me but I was looking forward to finding out.

"Well fuck me sideways, B I didn't know you can shoot!" Emmett hollered and I smirked at him.

"I'm more than a pretty face Em, you should know that by now," I teased and he checked me out, nodding whilst Rosalie reached back and slapped the back of his head.

"Ouch Rosie what the fuck?!" He groaned and rubbed the spot she hit.

"Stop checking out my best friend you perv!" She replied, laughing at his pouting face.

"I was just agreeing with her! Not my fault you've got hot friends baby. You know you're the only woman for me Rosalie Hale, so don't sweat it sweet cheeks," he grabbed her ass for emphasis and I swear she giggled. I rolled my eyes at them but when I turned to look at Edward, he was shooting daggers at Emmett. I tugged on his hand and motioned for us to go. He looked over to me and then back at his friend and narrowed his eyes at him.

"Well, have fun and watch your back Edward, she's one hell of a sharpshooter. Wouldn't want you to get hurt now would we?" Rose teased as Emmett cracked the hell up.

"Ok let's go, I'm hungry," I tugged on his hand again and he lifted it up and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss on the back of my hand that made my skin tingle.

"Don't do anything we wouldn't!" Emmett hollered behind us and Edward flipped him off as we continued walking. I laughed at him and he turned and gave me his panty-dropping smirk as we walked out of the house and onto the lawn that was still filled with cars and wet girls. Music was blaring from the speakers and it looked like everyone was having a good time. I didn't see Alice as we manoeuvred our way through the cars but I was sure she was having a blast with Jasper somewhere around here.

Edward's hand was on the small of my back, his thumb running circles on my bare skin, he reached over and opened the car door for me and I climbed in, leaning down to kiss him. I moaned when he bit my bottom lip before pulling back and opening the back-door, placing my bag behind my seat. After shutting both my door and the one behind me, he walked around and climbed in. I noticed he was looking at someone and when I turned to see what caught his attention I groaned.

"Who's he?" Edward asked.

"No one important," I replied but didn't elaborate.

"Bella who the fuck is he?" he demanded. I seriously didn't want to get into this right now. Purely because I didn't know how Edward was going to react.

"He was my English professor before I asked for a transfer," I avoided looking at Edward but I could feel his heated gaze turned to me.

"And you asked for a transfer because?" _God, I really didn't want to say it. I didn't think he'd be here today._ I felt a little creeped out by it though.

"He made a move on me. He always kept me back after class, telling me about books I should read for extra credit and how they will benefit me. I never thought anything of it but he kept picking on me in class, always asking me questions, praising me. Then one day he called me into his office and said he knows a law firm that would be interested in hiring an intern, even though I told him I would be doing that at my dad's firm. When I told him I already had something in place, he put his hand on my thigh and told me he promised his pal he would get me to agree to work there. I moved away but he kept touching me and then I punched him and walked out. The dickwad even locked his door…" I trailed off as Edward looked more and more murderous the more I talked. He reached back and placed his hand on the door handle and he moved to climb out the car.

"Don't, Edward please. He's not worth it. I changed classes and haven't seen him since. Baby I promise there's nothing to worry about. He's just a sleazeball," I pleaded with him as he continued to stare and Professor Newton. Edward huffed in annoyance but then fastened his seatbelt and started the car, I followed suit and put my own seatbelt on. Glad to have calmed Edward down before it escalated.

He kept his eyes on Michael as we drove away from my house, his knuckles white on the wheel and I watched as his jaw clenched. He looked every bit as dangerous as I knew him to be. Not that I cared about what happens to Mike Newton, I just didn't want blood on Edward's hands because of me.

I placed my hand on Edward's thigh and he calmed a little more. I gave it a little squeeze and he turned to face me, giving me his crooked smile "I'm getting a sense of déjà vu here," he smirked as I giggled, wanting to fulfil my fantasy more than ever.

"How far until we get to the restaurant?" I questioned, checking whether I'll have enough time to carry out my plan.

"Another 20 minutes, why?" instead of answering him, I reached for the buttons on his jeans. I undid every button with one hand and then reached in to grab his dick. It was semi-hard, but with just a few strokes, I got him nice and ready for me. My mouth watered at the thought of finally fulfilling my fantasy.

"Fuck Bella, what are you doing?" I didn't have time to tell him so I got straight down to it. I manoeuvred my seatbelt and knelt on the seat facing him. I continued to pump him with my hand and finally lowered my lips onto him. Precum had already gathered at the tip of his cock and I moaned as I swirled my tongue around it. Edward quickly moved his arm from under me and was driving one-handed as his other hand went straight to my hair. His grip was tight and my pussy clenched when he pulled it slightly.

I got him to the back of my throat and swallowed around him, making his hips buck upwards.

"Dammit, I missed the turn in…fuck, Isabella, that feels so fucking good. Your mouth is so hot baby…" he moaned. I kept taking him deeper, hollowing in my cheeks as I went up his shaft and his hips followed. I felt the car pick up speed and the grip on my hair tighten even more. He twitched in my mouth and became harder.

"Shit I'm not going to last much longer Bella. God baby that feels so fucking good…" I love how vocal he is. I continue to suck his cock and my vibrating moan sends him over the edge. Hot spurts of his cum suddenly shoots down my throat and I continue to slowly suck him, making sure not to apply too much pressure. I clean him up with my tongue after I swallow his load and then sit back when I'm satisfied with my work.

Edward visibly shudders and I can't help but giggle at how relaxed he looks, a contrast to how he was back at the house. I tuck him back in and do his buttons up and then sit back in my seat, facing the front with a satisfied smirk on my lips.

"I can't even see straight right now, your mouth is dangerous," he laughs and shakes his head as he continues to drive. Shooting glances at me with a shit-eating grin on his face like he's won the lottery.

"I aim to please baby," I wink and pretend to wipe the side of my mouth, I laugh when I notice him shift in his seat and he just places his hand on my thigh.

"Where are we going anyway?" I ask as I watch us pass all these restaurants.

"Gibsons Steakhouse. I know the guy who owns the joint and he owes me a few favours so getting a table wasn't a problem." He gently squeezed my leg and then stopped the car. Edward placed his hand behind my neck and brought me in closer, planting his lips on mine in a searing kiss that left me breathless. I couldn't wipe the cheesy smile off my face when we pulled apart. He made me incredibly happy and there was still so much to learn about him.

Edward got out of the car and then made his way over to my side. Opening the door, he held out his hand and I grabbed it as I got out. He towered over me a little as I stood in front of him and when he shut the door, he gently pushed me against the car and kissed me deeper. With his hard chest pressed up against me, I couldn't control the moan that slipped out of me. His hands grabbed my hips tightly as he brought my body closer to his. I could feel every hard inch of him and I was tempted to sneak him to the back seat, completely ignoring the fact that it was broad daylight and we were parked outside a restaurant. He was driving me crazy with want.

But once again my stomach decided to make itself known and growled. I felt Edward smile against my lips and then he pulled away. He grabbed my hand and we made our way into the restaurant.

We were quickly seated at the back of the restaurant and away from the windows, I didn't take any noticed of it before but Edward was on high alert, it was rolling off of him and it made me a little uneasy.

"Is everything alright?" I couldn't quite understand his change in demeanour.

"Everything is fine angel. I'm just used to being vigilant whenever I'm out somewhere. I always sit at the back of any restaurant and away from windows, I make sure my back is to the wall so I can see the whole place in front of me. I promise, you have nothing to be worried about. It's just something I have to do," he caressed my cheek again and I melted into his touch. I was about to say something when our server appeared out of thin air. I jumped a little as he cleared his throat. He was an elderly gentleman and he fit in perfectly with the ambience of this place.

"Welcome to Gibsons, do you know what you're having yet?" he seemed pleasant enough and I let Edward take the lead as he seemed to know this place.

"Yes, I'll take the T-bone steak and she will have the 14oz Filet Mignon. To drink we'll take a bottle of the Pinot Noir," Edward continued to look at me as he gave our order, paying little attention to the server.

"As you wish, very good choice sir," I wanted to laugh at how formal he was towards us but I blushed instead. _If only he'd known what I did in the car over here._

"What's got you blushing like that? I don't think I've ever seen you blush before," Edward mused as he took hold of my hand and began rubbing his thumb on the back of it.

"I was just thinking of how fancy this place is, and our server would probably have a heart attack if he knew what I was doing to you in the car over here," I laughed as Edward's eyes glazed over ever so slightly.

Edward's phone went off but he ignored it, a small scowl crossed his face but quickly disappeared as our wine arrived. The server poured a bit out for Edward to taste, after he deemed it acceptable, the server - whose name was Paul, poured some into my glass and then filled Edward's up, leaving the bottle on our table before disappearing again.

His phone kept going off and he huffed in frustration.

"Maybe you should answer it," I said as I squeezed his hand slightly.

He shook his head "I'm with you right now, any business can wait till after," he took his phone out and put it on silent before pocketing it again. Something fluttered inside me at his action and I got lost in his eyes as he focused back on me.

"So how long have you known Emmett and Jasper?" This was the perfect time to find out as much as I can about the man in front of me.

"Well Emmett and I met at high school, we were both trying out for the school's football team and we actually got into a fight. He was just as big back then as he is now, maybe a little shorter but he was still a huge guy. I still managed to beat the crap out of him, dislocated my wrist doing it but I won nonetheless," He smirked as he recalled the story and I couldn't believe he fought him.

"Whilst we sat in the principal's office, he held his fist out for me to bump and the rest is history as they say. He's had my back ever since. Neither of us made it into the team but other things grabbed our attention so it wasn't a huge deal in the end. The Coach always had a hardon for us and kept asking us to try out again but Em and I were ready to play with the big boys," there was a slight smirk on his lips as he recalled the story.

I wonder what it would have been like knowing Edward in high school. I was positive I would have lost my virginity to him. _If he looks this good now, can you imagine the heartthrob he was in high school? I'll have to ask his mother to get the pictures out._ A thought that made me smile. _I hope she'll like me, after our chat of course._

"Do you think your mom will like me?" I asked.

"My mother will love you Bella. It's hard not to," he surmised and I gasped, trying not to read too much into it.

_There's no way in hell he's admitting to loving me._

_Nope, no way._

_No sir._

I was quick to change the topic and asked about Jasper, someone I knew nothing about and he was marrying my best friend.

"Jasper runs the tech side of the business. He's like a cousin to me. Our mothers used to be best friends until his mom passed away. My own took him under her wing so we pretty much grew up together. His family isn't part of this life but he took to it like fish to water. Like he was made for it. He's a sharpshooter, so if Emmett isn't available for a job, Jasper usually steps in. Saved my ass more than I can count," a distant look crossed his face and he smiled slightly. I wondered where he went for a second but before I could ask, our food was delivered and Edward's focus was back on me.

The food smelled and looked absolutely amazing. My mouth watered as I eyed the juicy piece of meat in front of me. I pushed aside the steamed vegetables and moved the mashed potato closer.

"Is there anything else I can get you, Sir, Miss?" Paul asked as he placed his hands behind his back and looked at us.

"No thank you Paul. That will be all," Edward dismissed him and then raised his glass to me. I took my own and we clinked them together. His eyes bore into mine and he winked before taking a sip. The wine was dry but went down smoothly and highly complimented my meal. I was too afraid to ask Edward how he knew the wine would suit my fillet, scared of finding out if he's taken some other woman here.

"What's wrong?" _Gosh he's getting really good at reading me._

"Nothing."

"Bella just spit it out," he sighed and sat back, slowly chewing as he looked at me.

"How many women have you brought here? You seem to know just the right wine that would go with my meal," I was almost holding my breath, waiting for his response. What I didn't want to see was the smile the curled his face.

"The only woman I've ever brought here is my mother Bella, and now you. Sweetheart I told you I don't normally do this. The other women I've been with I've met at the club. And before you say anything, no they haven't been up to my apartment. Only you," he sat forward again, cutting another piece of his meat, looking quite pleased with himself. _I've got to admit it though, that put me at ease. I really got to stop overreacting._

_I might as well rip the Band-Aid off now though._

"So what's your number?" _Shit, why do I even want to know?_

"Seriously? You're asking me this now?" He looked astounded.

All I did was nod; I didn't think I could utter the words again.

"Ok if you must know, I've been with 15 women. One semi-serious relationship but it didn't go far. She was after my money so it ended pretty quickly," he surmised and scrutinized my reaction.

1_5…ok that's not that bad, at least it wasn't over 30, which is what I had in my head_. I let out the breath I was holding and swallowed my food. He continued to look at me, raising his eyebrow in question.

"What?"

"Well if we're sharing then it's only fair you tell me yours," _oh…_

"Ok my number is a little bit higher than yours, so don't think any less of me ok?" _God, I really didn't want to say it_. His eyebrows knitted together and he dropped his knife and fork onto the plate, making it clatter loudly.

He rested his elbows on the table and stared at me.

"I've slept with 18 guys but only had a couple of them turn into relationships," I wanted the floor to open and swallow me up. _Gosh, I just had to ask him didn't I. Of course he wanted to know my number._

"Ok that's not so bad, you made me think there was like 30 or some shit," he laughed humourlessly and I was surprised he thought of the same number as me. I relaxed knowing he seemed fine with it.

"None of that shit matters now because they're all irrelevant. I'll sleep better pretending I popped that delicious cherry of yours," he winked at me and proceeded to down his glass of wine.

I guess I can apply the same thinking. I definitely didn't need to carry on thinking about the bitches that got a taste of what's mine now.

"I'll drink to that," I said as I raised my own glass and proceeded to down it.

"Tell me about your parents," he tilted his head again when he asked. I smiled as he gazed at me, I almost want to say lovingly but I don't think I'm reading it properly.

"Well, they were high school sweethearts; they ran away to get married because my mother's father was arranging for her to marry someone else. My grandfather and dad never got along, I don't really know why considering my dad was every father's wet dream. He loves my mother in his own way I guess. Money has gotten to her head now though. She overlooked the cheating and they still sleep in the same bed so I guess it works for them. They're the poster couple in their inner circle and I know my mother wishes I was more like her but I at least have a backbone. If I ever find your dick in some other chick's mouth, then you better know I will chop that dick off and feed it to her," I growled the last part and tried to keep my voice down as the restaurant filled out around us. Stabbing my meat for emphasis, I watched Edward's eyes pop out ever so slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed.

"Duly noted princess. The only chick I want to be wrapped around my dick is you," his crooked smile made me shift in my seat, but I was glad my message came through loud and clear.

"What about your parents? I've got to admit I was a little surprised to hear the way your dad talks to you. I assumed he was this tough guy that probably never showed you any love," I rambled as I tried to think of anything but the thought of his cock inside me.

"Their marriage was arranged; they didn't even know what each other looked like before they met down at the altar. Both come from money so it made sense to their fathers to set it up. Mom was born into the Mafia so she was used to dad having to leave in the middle of the night to handle business. She didn't like it but she accepted it. I guess that's what made them so strong. If it were up to her, I'd be married and with kids already," _I guess that's one thing our mothers had in common._

_Hmm future Mrs Isabella Cullen does have a nice ring to it though._

_Oh fuck-_


	8. Chapter 8

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 8**

_"Their marriage was arranged; they didn't even know what each other looked like before they met down at the altar. Both come from money so it made sense to their fathers to set it up. Mom was born into the Mafia so she was used to dad having to leave in the middle of the night to handle business. She didn't like it but she accepted it. I guess that's what made them so strong. If it were up to her, I'd be married and with kids already," I guess that's one thing our mothers had in common._

_Hmm future Mrs Isabella Cullen does have a nice ring to it though._

_Oh fuck-_

I've got a feeling I said that out loud because Edward froze in his seat, staring at me.

_Shit shit shit shit._

His facial features quickly changed and he was actually beaming at me. I was a little scared now because that's not the reaction he is supposed to have.

"It does have a nice ring to it," he winked, he fucking winked at me and then proceeded to cut into his steak like I didn't just blurt out that I wanted to take his last name.

_Well fuck, I guess it was going to take a lot more to make him run for the hills._ I didn't want to pay any attention to the fact that my heart skipped a beat when he agreed with me. I was a little scared to think so far ahead into the future though. Knowing us, anything could fucking happen. But the thought of being with him, being his, made me feel something I couldn't put into words just yet.

We continued to talk as we ate, making each other laugh with childhood stories. I love how easy it all was. Nothing was forced between us. We were open with each other; I mean we've both seen each other naked already so what was the point in holding anything else back. We spoke about Alice and Jasper, he asked me questions about Alice, said he wanted to know as much as he can about the girl who stole his cousin's heart. He then told me more about Jasper and how he couldn't stop talking about Alice the other night. He also admitted how happy he was for his best friend, and enjoyed the fact that he would get to sleep with a bridesmaid. I hit him for that one, to think I wouldn't be anything but the maid of honor was insulting.

He told me a little bit more about what he does but it didn't go above a whisper due to where we are. There were too many listening ears according to Edward. Only then did I notice that people were looking at us. The snobby bastards that they were, they probably thought we couldn't even afford the food here.

When Edward signaled for the bill, I reached for my purse to pay for my half but Edward snatched it out of my hands and scowled at me as if I've offended him.

"What are you doing?" he questioned.

"Paying for my half obviously. I don't expect you to pay for it all, I've got money too you know," I attempted to lighten the mood as I wiggled my eyebrows but his drew closer together as he carried on looking at me.

"You can't seriously think I'd let you spend a dime whilst you're with me Bella. I took you out so I'll be paying for it. Now if you want to spend your money then may I suggest Victoria's Secret?" it was his turn to wiggle his eyebrows at me.

_Boy, he had no idea what was coming for him._ I might as well buy shares in Victoria Secret now considering how much of their lingerie I already own.

I shook my head as he kept looking at me, biting his bottom lip as his eyes wandered down to my chest. _Was it just me or was it getting really hot in here?_ I almost wanted to fan myself but then Paul materialized once again and broke the spell Edward had me under.

"We hope you enjoyed your meal Mr. Cullen Sir, Miss. Apologies from Mr. Burton, he was held up and couldn't come over to see you, Sir. He asked that I extend the invitation for you and your beautiful date any time you're in the area," Paul bowed his head slightly and stepped back when we moved to get up.

"Tell Laurence thanks and that I'll see him soon," Edward didn't elaborate any further and something like desire washed over me at his tone. This was Mafia Edward talking and I was turned on. I was really turned on.

"Very well Sir. Have a pleasant evening." He bowed his head again and we made our way out of the restaurant. Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders whilst I slipped mine around his waist, a small shiver wrecking me as the chilly air hit me. Edward rubbed small circles on my shoulder and walked us over to his car. He turned me to face him before opening my door with his arm still around me. He leaned down and took my lips in his, his tongue slowly gliding across my bottom lip, seeking entrance which I gave willingly. I could kiss him all day, his lips were so soft and it reminded me of his lips on other parts of my body. I imagined him kissing my pussy the way he kissed my mouth and I moaned into him. This time I took his bottom lip between my teeth and tugged on it which elicited a sexy sound out of him. I felt like my knees were about to give out at the way he made me feel, but I knew his strong hold on me would help keep me up.

"I love- kissing you Isabella," he whispered against my lips. I trembled again but it wasn't because I was cold. Heat soared through me as he said the word love. A small part of my brain took away the word _kissing_ and all it heard was _'I love you Isabella'. _

I tried to ignore that part of my brain and told myself there was no way he could love me, not yet anyway.

"Come on, let's go see what you can do with a gun beautiful."

* * *

The shooting range was pretty empty by the time we got there. A big guy called Sam stood behind the counter and he lit up like a Christmas tree when he caught sight of Edward and then his eyes shone even brighter when he noticed me next to him. They did the whole man hug with a slap on the back when they greeted each other and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face even if they paid me. A relaxed and happy Edward was something I was still trying to get used to. There were so many sides to him and I was loving learning them all.

"And who do we have here?" Sam asked as he stepped from behind the counter and walked over to me. He was well over 6 feet and towered over me like no one's business. He had a mean looking scar running down his left cheek but his eyes were the most expressive.

"Bella Swan," I stretched my hand out for him to shake but his eyes bugged out of his head as I introduced myself.

"Well fuck me sideways and call me Sally! No fucking way are you Charlie's kid!" his laugh was boisterous as he kept staring at me and then back at Edward who looked as confused as I felt.

"I didn't know the ugly fucker made such beautiful kids. Cullen, you're one lucky motherfucker. Do you know who her daddy is?" Sam turned to Edward, he looked so excited that if he was a dog, he'd be wagging his tail at full speed. I laughed at the mental image and both men turned to look at me. I waved them off and waited for Sam to elaborate. I still had no idea how he knew my father.

"Your daddy used to ride with us, he and I were in the same motorcycle club!" he exclaimed.

"Are you sure you're thinking of the same guy? My dad's a lawyer, living upstate with tiny cushions on his bed for decoration..." I drifted off as Sam cracked up. Edward and I made eye contact but he just shrugged and then punched Sam in the arm to pull himself together.

"I'm sorry kid but your dad wore the same patch as me, rode by my side until he had that accident and then got Renee knocked up," Sam sobered up at that and then looked at me tenderly.

Ok what the hell was going on here? And who the fuck were my parents before I was conceived?

"By the looks on your faces, I take it you didn't know. Man, Charlie is gonna hate you kid," he chuckled as he slapped Edward's chest with the back of his hand. Edward scowled at the huge guy and then wrapped an arm around me pulling me in closer. I placed my hand on Edward's chest to calm him and looked around the shop. The walls were lined with different guns and knives, I wasn't 100% sure but I swear he had some grenades there too.

I walked over to all the handguns and admired the black Glock that lay in the middle of the counter behind the security glass. It was the same gun dad had at home locked away, the same gun he let me practice on. My hand itched to hold it again, it had been years since I shot a gun.

"Looks like you know what you like. Let me get it out for you so you can get a feel of it," Sam walked behind the counter and unlocked the cabinet, pulling the Glock out and handing it over to me. I check and the magazine was empty, surprised how much lighter it felt.

I lifted my arms up, my elbows rigid, I stood with my feet shoulder-width apart. I closed one eye looking through the front sight and pointed the gun mockingly at Edward. He stood still; arms folded in front of him as he smirked at me. I noticed his jeans tent a little and I realized he was turned on by this. I pulled the trigger and made a shooting sound; I then brought the muzzle up to my lips and gently blew on it as if it was smoking. Edward adjusted himself and raked his fingers through his hair, breaking eye contact, he then bit into his knuckles as he looked back at me.

The hunger in his eyes and his pants was evident and I heard Sam laugh behind me. I wanted nothing more than to take care of Edward's big problem but I wanted to shoot the gun that was in my hands just a little more.

I winked at him and then turned to Sam who was getting boxes of bullets out; they sat lined up like little soldiers.

"Do you know how to load it?" he asked with a raised eyebrow but with a serious expression on his face.

"Yeah, dad taught me," I said and watched the smile return on Sam's face.

"I just bet he did. Ok if you just fill out some paperwork, I can get you set up and take you out the back. Ed, your guns are still in your locker so just take out whatever the fuck you want kid. I've got your girl," he smirked at Edward who flipped him off.

He walked over to me and slapped my ass before going through the open flap in the middle of the counters. I watched his ass as he turned the corner and walked out of sight. I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding and Sam chuckled as he clipped some forms to the board and handed it over to me.

"Man, the kid's got it bad for you Bella Swan. Make him work for it though, little shit had everything handed to him on a silver platter growing up. But he's one of the good guys believe it or not. I don't know how much he's told you about what he is, but Ed and his father helped me open up this shop and the range. I owe them," a faraway look crossed his face and I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he thinks Edward's got it bad for me.

"I'm sure he's brought other girls here before. Mr Sauvé knows how to treat a lady," I snickered but didn't believe my own words.

"He's never brought a girl here before. Ever. And the first girl he brings here happens to be the daughter of a patch brother. I still can't believe you're Charlie's kid. Man I wish I could see your daddy one more time. But he washed his hands with the motorcycle club as well as me. Still, it would be nice to grab a beer with the old man," this was the first smile that didn't reach Sam's eyes since I've been here. I think I'll need to have a little chat with my daddy.

I grabbed his huge hand and gave it a little squeeze.

"Yo, leave my girl alone you old shit. Bella, don't fall for the puppy dog eyes, it's all an act, he's a mean fucker!" Edward walked back over to me, placing his chosen gun on the counter beside us and then wrapped his arms around me from behind. I bent over slightly so I could fill out the required information. Once I was done, I handed it all back to Sam who had the twinkle back in his eyes.

He led us through the back of the shop and down to a basement that was illuminated by fluorescent lights. There was only one other person practicing on a target in his own little booth, he didn't pay us any attention as we walked further down the room and to the far back. We were given all the safety equipment and I was giddy with excitement. Sam left us after that and made me promise to see him before we left.

A surge of excitement washed through me as I stepped up and pressed the button beside me for the target to appear.

Edward stood behind me and kissed the back of my neck, trailing his lips up to my ear and I melted into him.

"Uh uh uh Isabella, you need to concentrate. If you were ever in an all-out gunfight, there would be hundreds of things happening around you. You have to turn all that shit off and pay attention. Know where your target is at all times," his husky voice broke my skin into goosebumps and I tried to pay attention to what he was telling me.

I clicked the safety off and raised my arms up like I did upstairs on the shop floor. It has been a while since I felt the recoil of a gun and I wanted to be ready for it. I leaned forward ever so slightly, making sure my center of gravity was correct before firing. Edward continued to stroke my hip as a distraction, I took in one deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to ignore everything that was happening around me. Edward leaned in closer, his erection pressing into my butt.

"All I want to do is take you back to the locker room and fuck you. Do you have any idea how sexy you look holding that gun? I nearly blew my load when you fired at me upstairs. I don't think I've ever seen anything sexier in my life, and I've seen you naked Isabella," his words licked my ear and I tried my best to block him out, even though I wanted everything he was telling me and then some.

I took another deep breath, squaring my shoulders a little and Edward stepped back from behind me but still kept a hand on the small of my back. His fingers spread, touching my ass ever so slightly. I fired the first round in quick succession as I released my breath and I was turned on by how powerful I felt, I nearly came on the spot.

"Fuck me," Edward groaned and pressed the button to bring the target in. The closer it got the more I realized I managed to get a kill shot as well as the spot where the heart would be.

"Damn baby, remind me not to piss you off ever again. Fuck Bella, Rose wasn't kidding beautiful, you really are an amazing shot," his praise pleased me, especially coming from someone who handled guns more than I did.

I gently put the gun down and turned to face Edward, throwing my arms around his neck, I attacked his lips. I moaned into the kiss and it wasn't long before Edward caught up. There were so many emotions I tried to pour into that kiss I just prayed he's able to feel them too.

He pushed me against the wall and I brought one of my legs around his waist and grabbed his hair. I tugged on it hard which elicited the sound from Edward I wanted.

"Get a room!" I hear someone shout out. Giving zero fucks about it though.

But Edward pulled back, panting against me. "Go fuck yourself Jared," Edward replied as his eyes searched mine. He looked frantic for a second but then serenity took over his features and he relaxed into me, stroking my face with his thumb as he brought his hands up and cupped my face. Holding me like a delicate flower. I felt tears pool in my eyes as the words I wanted to utter so badly rested on the tip of my tongue.

"Bella I, shit-" I held my breath.

"Yes?" I whispered.

"I lov-" his phone rang.

_No no no no no!_

He looked like he was about to lose it but he took his phone out and looked worried when he glanced down to see who it was.

"Ma I really can't-" but he was cut off when she sounded frantic.

"Edward! We've been trying to reach you all day! Baby, it's your dad, he's at the hospital. Please, you have to come!" She pleaded and I could hear her sniffling, trying to hold it together.

"What do you mean he's at the hospital?! What the fuck happened?" Edward's tone was harsh and demanding, probably not something his mother wanted to hear right now.

"Edward calm down, she's scared baby," I whispered as I reached for him. Surprised a little when he came to me willingly.

"He had a mild heart attack. The doctors are still checking him over but they won't let me inside yet. Please, son, I need you," she managed to get out before we heard her sobbing.

"I'll be there in 10, I'm bringing Bella with me so just stay there and I'll be with you before you know it. He'll be fine Mom, he's a stubborn bastard," he got what he hoped for when we heard her let out a small giggle.

"Ok son, I'll see you both soon," she ended the call and I was pleased to notice she didn't mind me tagging along. Although I've got to admit, this wasn't how I imagined I'd be meeting his parents. Tomorrow's dinner at theirs would have been better but Edward needed me, I wasn't going to let him go without me either way.

"I'm sorry angel, this isn't how I thought today would go. I promise to bring you back here again but we need to go," I grabbed the Glock and we made our way back up. Edward took my hand and led me to the locker and I waited for him to put his toy away before we walked back out to Sam.

"Well that was quick," Sam remarked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, something came up. We need to go Bella," he said as he turned to me. I nodded and walked over to Sam to hand him the gun back. I beckoned him closer to me with my finger and as he leaned in, I got on my tiptoes and kissed his scarred cheek. He flinched ever so slightly but when I pulled back, the biggest smile yet covered his face. I couldn't help but smile back.

"I'll see you soon Sam I promise. I'll even come back without the meathead," I winked at Sam and then walked back over to Edward who was stood by the door shaking his head at me, a smile plastered on his handsome face.

"I'll hold you to that Bella. Take good care of Romeo over there. Let me know if he ever steps out of line," and with that, we bid him goodbye and jogged over to the car, well as best as I could seeing as I was in heels.

Edward was out of the parking lot before I could put my seatbelt on.

Tires screeching as we went.


	9. Chapter 9

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 9**

_"I'll hold you to that Bella. Take good care of Romeo over there. Let me know if he ever steps out of line," and with that, we bid him goodbye and jogged over to the car, well as best as I could seeing as I was in heels._

_Edward was out of the parking lot before I could put my seatbelt on._

_Tires screeching as we went._

I was pretty sure we ran about 3 red lights but I wasn't going to say anything, I could tell Edward was worried and I doubt that he cares if he gets stopped or not. They probably have the police force in their pockets anyway.

He wasn't lying when he told his mom we'll be there in 10 minutes because before I knew it, we were parking outside the hospital and Edward grabbed my hand again as we ran into the reception.

"Name please," the receptionist didn't even lift her head up from the computer and I could see Edward's jaw clenching.

"Edward Cullen, my father Carlisle Cullen was brought in here. We're here to see him." He almost growled at her. When she looked up, she did a double-take and her eyes glazed over as she checked him out.

Not today bitch.

"Listed here…Lauren, don't even think about it, he's not fucking interested! Now do your fucking job and tells us where Mr. Cullen is," I tried my best to keep my voice down but I noticed a few heads turned in our direction. I felt Edward squeeze my hand but I wasn't backing down.

"I'm sorry miss but you can't jus-" but she was cut off as a beautiful woman ran towards us.

"Oh Edward you made it!" She needed no introduction, that was definitely his mother. Her hair coloring matched Edward's. She was slender, dressed in a pencil skirt and a blouse that was tucked in. Her eyes were red from obvious crying. She flung her arms around Edward's neck and he hugged her back tightly, my hand still clasped in his. I moved to let go but he held on tighter.

She moved back and cupped his face, her eyes taking him in lovingly and she began crying again.

"Ma you know I hate it when you cry! Please stop, dad's going to be fine. He'll kick my ass if he sees you crying," Edward pleaded and she gave him a sniffling giggle but nodded. Her gaze then shifted to me and she gasped.

I wondered whether there was something wrong but she moved away from Edward, almost pushing him out of the way as she flung her arms around me in a motherly hug. Something I definitely wasn't used to.

"Oh my, you're just as beautiful as I'd imagined!" She gushed and when she pulled back, she also cupped my face and stared into my eyes. A knowing look crossed her features and an all too familiar smirk appeared on her lips as she glanced between her son and me.

"Ma, let's go through, they might be able to let us see him now," without giving the reception girl a second glance, his mother grabbed both of our hands and led us through the waiting room and through the double doors that said Cardiology above it.

I hated hospitals. The smell, the atmosphere, the constant buzz of people everywhere you looked. It just made me feel uneasy. Edward must have sensed my discomfort because he dropped his mother's hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"You ok beautiful?" he whispered.

"Yeah, I just hate these places," I whispered back.

We walked over to the seating area which was thankfully empty. I sat in the chair and Edward leaned down and kissed my forehead and turned to join his mother on the couch.

"What happened?" he asked her.

"We were out by the docks, just grabbing a late lunch. I'd noticed earlier that he kept rubbing his chest but didn't seem to realize he was doing it. When I brought it up, he told me to stop worrying, that he was as strong as an ox. God, I'll fucking kill him myself if he doesn't slow down. Carlisle went out last night to collect, I told him to send you instead but he told me you were tied up with something so he kissed me and left. I was up most of the night waiting for him to return and when he did, he was looking a little pale but told me he was simply tired so I didn't think anything of it. I told him I'd call Marcus to come and check him over but he distracted me and I never got the chance." She blushed and I wanted to giggle at how similar Edward and his father were.

"Ok, I didn't need to know that bit. So what happened later then?"

"Well after lunch we took a stroll down the docks and all of a sudden he stopped and grabbed at his chest. Next thing I know he's on the floor and Demetri was running towards us whilst I screamed bloody murder. They wouldn't let me ride in the ambulance with him as there were too many paramedics in the ambulance already so Demetri brought me here and I've been waiting to hear from someone ever since," she rested her head on his shoulder and Edward turned to kiss the top of her head. Watching him interact with her made my heart soar. Sam was right, he really is one of the good guys.

"I'm sure everything will be fine Mrs. Cullen," I put my two cents in and they both turned to look at me. Edward smiled at me and his mother beamed at me as she took me in again.

"Gosh, sweetheart call me Esme, Mrs. Cullen is my mother-in-law and she's an old hag who meddles too much," I almost raised my eyebrow at that because it sounded like the pot calling the kettle black.

"You can talk, dad said you were pimping me out to those hussies at your Country Club! Did you seriously think I was gay or was the old shit pulling my leg?" Edward couldn't hold in the laughter when Esme looked at him shocked.

"I did no such thing! You know I wouldn't let those hussies come anywhere near my boy. They don't deserve you Edward Anthony! Would try and dig their claws in just to get a piece of your fortune. Over my dead fucking body," she grumbled under her breath but then her gaze shot to me again.

"It looks like you did fine all on your own son. Move Edward, Bella come sit, tell me how you two met!" She gushed and Edward stood up whilst I moved to occupy his seat. Esme took hold of my hands and looked like one of my girls waiting to hear some gossip.

I giggled but then looked up at Edward who was smirking at me. Waiting to see what I'd tell her.

"My sorority threw a house party the other night and the Boys in Black rolled up and gatecrashed it. Emmett is dating one of my best friends Rosalie. Jasper ran off with my other girlfriend Alice, who is now engaged to him if you didn't know," I tattled and she gasped and turned to Edward.

"Jasper's engaged? What the fuck?!" She bellowed. She looked a little pissed and I wondered whether I should have said anything.

"Butt out of it mom, he's in love, and Alice is a great girl. Bella can vouch for her," he turned and winked at me.

"Yeah but they only just met! I'm going to need to meet this girl. I've heard so much about Rosalie but never had the pleasure of meeting her. Bella you and the girls should come to the Hamptons with me! Oh it would be so much fun, the guys can do their own thing and us girls could hang out by the pool and I'll get my beautician to come too. What do you say, darling?" How could I say no to that? I could do with some pampering.

"Ma, Bella has classes still," Edward tried to rein her in but she completely ignored him and focused on me.

"I think it's a great idea Esme, the girls and I will be pretty busy for the next few months as it's our final year but how about spring break?" Her smile was contagious and I couldn't help but beam back at her. I guess I won't need to have that talk with her just yet.

"Yes spring break, gosh those were the days," she got a faraway look in her eyes and they began to tear up a little. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her and she leaned into me, crying on my shoulder.

I couldn't imagine being in her position. I've always been this independent girl and I've never had someone I cared about until I met Edward. I didn't want to picture being in her shoes and imagine Edward laying in a hospital bed and some asshole was stopping me from seeing him. I'd tear the whole place to shreds to be by his side.

I kept muttering words of encouragement and it was working until the doctor came out and called her name.

"Mrs. Cullen? Your husband has been moved to a private suite and he's been asking for you. He's alright but we have hooked him up on some monitors to make sure everything is working the way it should be. He will have to be put on bed rest for a week, depending on how quickly he feels like himself again. If you'd follow me, I can take you to him." He turned to Edward "I'm sorry, we haven't met yet, I'm Dr. O'Neill," he held his hand out for Edward to shake which he did. "Edward," was his response. My Edward didn't care about formalities at this point, I think he just wanted to set eyes on his father.

We all followed Dr. O'Neill as he led us to Carlisle's private suite. The room was spacious with a huge window looking out towards the city. Esme rushed to his bed and they embraced lovingly. I stood by the side just watching his parents interact. He looked lovingly into his wife's eyes, it looked like they were communicating silently and I wanted to turn away, I felt like I was intruding. He cupped her face and she dropped her head into the crook of his neck and just laid there whilst he wrapped his arms around her.

I turned and found Edward looking at me, a small smile playing on his lips as he strode over to me and wrapped me up in his own arms. I felt him shudder as the tension left his body and it only made me hold on to him tighter.

As I buried my face into Edward's chest, I could feel someone looking at me. I turned to face his parents and his father was looking at us, shock written all over his face.

"Isa? Is that you?" He whispered.

"Excuse me?" No one's called me Isa since I was a little girl. Dad used to have a friend we used to meet when dad took me out for ice-cream, he used to always call me Isa because he didn't want to use the same nickname like everyone else.

"Fuck me to tears it is you! Is mint choc chip still your favorite flavor sweetheart?" _What the fuck was going on today?_ First, I meet a guy who dad used to apparently ride in the same motorcycle club with, and now it looks like Edward's father knows my dad too.

"Do you two know each other or something?" Edward seethed.

"Yeah. Her dad and I did business together a long time ago. What a coincidence you two happen to meet," he had the biggest grin on his face and I was still a little stunned.

_Who the fuck is my father?_

"I guess introductions won't be necessary," I muttered and everyone snickered.

"Ok, can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?" Edward demanded.

"My dad used to take me out for ice-cream when I was a little girl, it was our weekly day out. We used to always sit at the park and the 'blond man' used to join us regularly. He used to tease me and tell me he was going to eat my ice-cream. I used to run around the park with your dad chasing me, whilst my own sat on the bench looking through papers. I used to hate it when he worked on our ice-cream dates. He never told me your name though," I mused as I recalled it. No wonder I didn't connect any dots. Carlisle Cullen looks a lot older than the guy I remember and he used to always wear sunglasses.

"Is Charlie still in your pocket?"

"No sweetheart, he never was. I've got lawyers who've got lawyers who have lawyers, I didn't need your dad's services in that sense. We used to go to school together. I simply needed his advice. He's a good man Isa, cut the old man some slack. He's been trying to stay on the straight and narrow since you were born." He gazed lovingly at me, just like Sam. Both seem to know my father better than I did.

"We'll see, he's yet to meet Edward. I think we both know how that will go once he finds out he's your kid," I giggled at Carlisle's enjoyment.

"I can see you're already taking my dad's side, Bella, some girlfriend you are!" He teased. That was the first time he's referred to me as his girlfriend. I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself._ I wonder how upset his parents would be if I dragged him inside the bathroom and had my wicked way with him._

As if he could read my mind, Edward glanced back at the door to the bathroom and then raised his eyebrow as he turned back to me.

"Oi lovebirds cut that shit out. It's like you want me to have another heart attack," Carlisle looked insulted, and then Esme smacked his chest lightly as she looked over at us.

"Leave them be Carlisle! Don't pay him any attention Bella, he's just sore he won't be getting any until he's better," she winked at me and both Edward and Carlisle groaned. One in disgust and the other in disappointment.

_Go mama Cullen._

"You're my parents, I don't need to hear about shit like that. You don't have sex anyway!" Edward exclaimed and I looked up at him like he had some screws loose.

"And how do you think you got into this world genius? Of course we have sex you fool. Just wait till you and Isa get to our age and then we'll talk," Carlisle smirked at how uncomfortable Edward looked.

"If you'll live that long," Edward remarked.

"Edward Anthony!" Bellowed Esme. "Your father will be around a lot longer than you if you keep this up. I raised you better than this," she scoffed and I didn't even bother holding in my giggle at their clowning.

Not once did it bother me hearing his father say that Edward and I will be together by the time we get to their age. And it looked like Edward wasn't fazed either.

"So what's the verdict, Mr Cullen?" I asked as I moved to the couch under the window, Edward followed me and draped his arm around my shoulders once he sat down. His long, lean legs rested on top of the small coffee table. It was like a medical hotel room in here.

"Please Isa, call me Carlisle, you're pretty much family now gorgeous girl. The old quack said I need to be on house rest, whatever the fuck that means. But he also said I need to cut down my 'office' hours and avoid stressful environments. Fucker obviously doesn't know what I do for a living," Carlisle ranted. I wasn't quite sure what that meant for Edward. Will he have to step up whilst his father recovers?

"Dad, you know I've got this. Just tell me what you need me to do and I'm there," Edward was dead serious as he addressed his father.

"I know son. But this could be risky and just what those vultures will want; me stepping down and you stepping up. You're going to need to up your security Edward, get someone to shadow Isa too. Get the boys on board and we can discuss this better when I'm home. Who knows who's listening," it amazed me how freely they discussed this in front of me. A few nights ago I was oblivious to their world. Now it feels like I'm being thrown in the deep end. My only life jacket being Edward.

"I don't trust anyone to look after Bella. What sort of threat are we looking at here though? Who would know you're here anyway?" Edward mused, he took his feet off the coffee table and sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he looked at Carlisle.

"This is a public hospital Edward, Caius has people all around the place waiting for an opportunity like this. Who would you suggest shadows Isa then? You can't show how valuable she is to you, she will become their first target. She's not protected under our law. Now, if you two were married…then she's untouchable…" _Excuse me? What law? What target is he talking about? Marriage?!_

This was getting a little too intense. I shot off the couch and paced at the foot of Carlisle's bed. The clicking of my heels was the only sound in the room, along with the heart monitor slowly beeping in the background.

"What the fuck?" I said to no one in particular. Edward rushed to my side and wrapped his arms around me. I was finding comfort in his touch but it did nothing to settle the crazy thoughts going through my head.

"Why don't you stay with Edward Bella? You said you are in your final year, surely you're not going to learn anything new at this moment as all the focus is on finals. Why not just do the course online whilst you stay with Edward?" Both Edward and I stopped and turned to face Esme. I was sure Edward could feel my heart rate spiking at the thought of living with him. We've only just met. This was too soon right?

Right?

_Then why did the thought of it excite me?_

"Mom you can't expect Bella to just put her life on hold and hide away in the penthouse. Plus she's got her girls to worry about too-"

"I'm sure they'd have no problem staying with Emmett and Jasper," I chimed in, revealing the fact I was considering this.

"Baby what are you saying?"

"You said so yourself you don't trust anyone to watch me. You told me you won't allow anyone to come near me. So why not? You know becoming a lawyer isn't what I want. It's about time I started doing shit for myself instead of trying to please everyone else. Unless you don't want me to stay with you that is." This was definitely a conversation we should be having in private but I doubt there were any secrets in this family. Unlike mine apparently.

"Of course I do angel. I don't want you to regret it though. I'm not the easiest person to live with, you've had first-hand experience with that the other night," he smirked and I recalled our time at his place. Wanting a repeat of it.

"Oh, I remember alright. He nearly shot the delivery guy for looking at me!" I exclaimed to his parents who didn't look that surprised.

"Did he give him a reason to?" Carlisle asked, tilting his head to the side as Edward did earlier.

"Fucker couldn't stop staring at her when she walked out wearing noth-"

"Ok! they don't need to know that!" I smacked his chest but heard laughter from all of them as I hid my face in my hands.

"She's a beautiful woman son, of course guys are going to stare, doesn't mean they need to get shot though," Esme was the voice of reason at least.

"Thank you Esme, it's what I told him!" I enthused and Edward just rolled his eyes at us. _God, I could kiss him to death right now._

"But all this moving is just the worst-case scenario right? I mean no one has actually come out and made threats to anyone," I asked as I looked at Carlisle.

"No they haven't, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared. Is Edward taking you home tonight?"

"No, I'm spending the night at his," I could feel a blush coming as I said this. I never blush.

"Perfect. We'll see how far the word spreads about what happened today and then we can see who's interests it's peaked. Edward stay vigilant, let Jasper and Emmett know what's happened and the possible plan should things escalate. Why don't you two get out of here? Your mother is staying here tonight so she's safe son. Take care of your girl," Carlisle gazed at Esme as he spoke to Edward. A soft blush coated her cheeks and it was definitely our cue to leave. It looks like Esme wasn't going to hold out on Carlisle after all.

Hugs and promises to keep in touch were made and Edward grabbed my hand as we left his father's room. The giggling coming from Esme made us speed up to avoid hearing something that we didn't want to.

We walked through Reception again and I noticed the way that girl Lauren kept staring at Edward as we walked past the counter. I turned back and mouthed '_mine' _as we walked out the door and I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on her face.

"What's so funny baby?" Edward asked as he snaked his arm around my waist and rested his hand on my ass, giving it a squeeze as we made our way to his car.

"Lauren's face,"

"Who?" I laughed again as he didn't even notice her.

"Exactly. Come on let's go to the club, I want to dance and maybe then you can show me your office. I'm sure there's a desk you'd like to bend me over," I walked in front of him and grabbed his hand, pulling him along with me as we reached the car.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, biting my lip as his hungry gaze swept over my body whilst he moved closer to me. I let out a moan as he pressed up against me and took my bottom lip in his mouth, sucking it and making me moan louder.

He released my lip and moved his lips to my neck, sucking on my pulse point, making my knees go weak in the process.

I opened my eyes and saw a pimply teen with his arm in a cast walk past us with his dad. Both gawking at us.

"Let's go baby, there are too many people watching us," I muttered and Edward pulled his head back away from my neck and looked behind him. He caught the kid and his dad still watching us and reached beside me and opened my door. I gave him a quick peck on the lips before getting in, he shut the door behind me and made his way over to his side.

This is definitely not how I thought this date would turn out. I wouldn't change it for the world though. And with that thought, I grabbed hold of Edward's hand as he drove out of the hospital parking lot and towards his place. I was looking forward to seeing what the night is going to bring.


	10. Chapter 10

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 10**

_This is definitely not how I thought this date would turn out. I wouldn't change it for the world though. And with that thought, I grabbed hold of Edward's hand as he drove out of the hospital parking lot and towards his place. I was looking forward to seeing what the night is going to bring._

We pulled up to the back entrance again and I saw Felix standing there by the door. His huge body blocking most of the entrance. I turned to face Edward as the car stopped. "Do you mind if we go up so I can freshen up and change out of these clothes?" I asked

"Of course. I need to grab a few things before we head down anyway." He smiled at me and then reached over and kissed me before opening his door and stepping out of the car. He walked back over to my side and grabbed my bag first before opening my door. I took hold of his hand as I stepped out of the car and he brought me in closer to him, kissing my forehead and holding on to me for a bit.

"Everything ok?" I asked. He was quiet on the ride here, I knew he had a lot on his mind considering what we spoke about in the hospital with his parents, so I had left him to his thoughts as he drove.

He nodded before pulling away and we walked over to Felix, "Mr. Cullen, Isabella," he gave both of us a nod and then moved aside so we could get in. It was definitely getting colder and a shiver ran through me as we walked through the door.

We once again walked down the hallway to the elevator and Edward placed his thumb on the little screen. The doors opened and we stepped in, my bag in Edward's right hand as he held mine in his left. Before the elevator doors closed, I looked up to see Felix staring at me again. There was something creepy about the way his eyes traveled up and down my body before he looked over at Edward and smirked. I glanced over at Edward but he wasn't even looking at Felix, his focus was on our joined hands.

I gave it a small tug and he looked up at me. As soon as our eyes met it was like a switch was turned on and he pushed me up against the wall of the elevator. His lips crashing to mine in a hungry kiss and I kissed him back just as hard. We both moaned as we grabbed on to each other tighter. My hands in his hair whilst his were on my waist.

"Say you'll be mine," he whispered against my lips as the elevator doors dinged.

"You know I am," I responded as I searched his eyes. Something was troubling him but he wouldn't tell me.

He stepped away from me and motioned for me to step inside his place. The bright lights illuminated his apartment and I marveled at how good it felt to be here again. Memories of our time together came flooding in and I almost needed to catch my breath at the feelings that rushed through me. My thighs clenched as I walked to his bedroom. My skin pebbled at the footsteps following me as he still held my bag. His arm brushed across mine as he moved in front of me and placed my bag on his king-size bed.

The bed that looked extremely inviting as he left it unmade. I turned to face him and raised my eyebrows in question.

"I didn't see the point; we were only going to fall back into it," he shrugged it off like it was a no brainer. I laughed and opened up my bag to get a dress out that I packed specifically for his club. I thought I might need to convince him a little to get him to agree to go dancing tonight. I know he said he had plans for us, but after the whirlwind that was today, letting off some steam on the dancefloor felt like the right thing to do. It made me wish the girls were here too. We've been known to bring the roof down at the club.

"I'll let you get changed; I'll be in my office so just let me know when you're ready to go," he pecked my lips and then left me in his bedroom, leaving the door wide open and I felt all tingly watching him walk away. He exuded so much power and I felt light-headed just being in his presence.

I quickly stripped and pulled a thong out of my bag and slipped it on. The dress I picked wouldn't require a bra as it was strapless. It was a ribbed, white mini dress that covered my ass and but not much else; if you were to look closely, you could see my hard nipples poking through. We'll be in a dark club so hopefully, Edward won't lose his shit too much. I slipped on my knee highs and put my silver hoops in, fluffing my hair a little to give it more volume. I darkened my eyes with a bit of eyeliner and deemed myself ready.

I walked out of Edward's bedroom after putting my other clothes away. I didn't want him to think I was a slob, and walked over to his office. The door was open and he was sat behind his desk, a scowl on his handsome face as he was looking at something on his computer.

I leaned against the doorframe; my ankles crossed in front of me as I waited for him to look up. His huge screen was lit up with the activities taking place downstairs. The club looked packed and the bar was constantly rammed with bodies trying to get served. There was a camera pointing to the VIP area and there was one table that held guys in suits with server girls prancing around them with champagne bottles, sparklers going off at the top of each bottle. I watched as hands wondered but the girls looked like they were enjoying it. I guess they got paid a pretty penny to just grin and bear it. Can't fault them for it, work is work.

"Wow," my gaze shifted back to Edward as he spoke. My sultry smile made him beckon me with his finger to come closer. I slowly walked over to where he was sitting, making my hips sway just a little bit more than usual, enjoying the way his eyes followed my every move. He rolled out from behind the desk and sat back in his chair. He opened his legs up as I walked over and stood in front of him, I moved between his legs and placed my hands on the back of the chair, caging him in. My breasts were in line with his eyes and he bit his bottom lip as his eyes dropped to my tits. My nipples peaked even harder as he ran his hands up and down the side of my body, tracing a silhouette the dress emphasized.

"I've changed my mind, we're staying in," he deadpanned as he continued to watch his hands move over my body.

"Hell no, come on let's go, I want to dance!" I squealed as he grabbed me and sat me down across his lap, his fingers ran up and down my exposed thighs as he looked at me, that ever-present smirk on his lips made me lean in closer and finally kiss him. What I hoped would be slow and sensual turned out to be rough and commanding. His fingers wove into my hair, tousling my strands as he grabbed it. I moaned into his mouth and felt him grow hard under me.

"Mmm as much as I'm enjoying this, I really do want to go downstairs and dance. It's been too long since I've been out to a club. Please baby, I really," kiss "really," kiss "really want to go," I bit his lip and he palmed my ass. At his slight nod, I got off his lap and grabbed his hand, dragging him up and off the seat in the process.

"How do we get to the club from here?" I asked as I didn't notice a door to the club from when we got in.

"I have a secret entrance," he teased. I noticed his jeans were tenting and I felt a little bad. I promised myself to help him out as soon as he got me on the dancefloor.

Edward walked over to the office door and closed it. I was about to protest again but then I noticed the door that was next to it. It blended in with the walls but I could now clearly make out the frame. He opened the secret door to reveal a set of elevator doors that were already open, waiting for us.

"After you," he motioned again and I stepped into the smaller elevator. The lights were dimmed in this one and I felt my breathing pick up once again as he stepped in and stood next to me. He pressed a button and we went down. The slight jolt was the only indication that we reached the bottom. It moved so stealthily; it was a little disorientating. Once the doors opened, we stepped into a room that was a bigger version of his office upstairs. This one held a sofa and a couple of chairs in front of his grand desk. The colors were dark. The same huge screen covered one of the walls, whilst the wall opposite was like a one-way mirror. I could see out into the club but I doubt the people out there could see into the office as I caught more than one girl adjusting her outfit as she glanced at herself, making sure their make-up was ok.

Edward walked past me and quickly looked at the computer on the desk, pressing a few buttons and inserting a key into the monitor I didn't realize he was holding. The screen illuminated his face and his eyes darted from one side to another. I stood there admiring him. My need for him increasing as I watched him. I took in the desk too, the one he mentioned he wanted to bend me over and fuck me on. All these scenarios flitted through my head and I couldn't decide which one I wanted to re-enact.

"Shall we?" he gestured towards the door and I nodded, still lost in my fantasy as we walked over to it.

When Edward opened the door, he moved a curtain to the side and we walked out into the VIP area. Drinks were already set up on the little table and a woman stood at the side of the rope that surrounded the seating area. Another huge goon stood on the other side and nodded his head as he spotted us. He held his wrist up to his mouth and said something into it and carried on looking out into the crowd.

"That's Demetri, I'll introduce you to him in a minute. I've got a little surprise for you," I looked at him questioningly and he motioned with his head towards the stairs going down to the dance floor. I couldn't help but squeal in excitement as I noticed Rose and Alice walking up the stairs, Emmett and Jasper following behind them. The girls waved at Demetri who let them through and he shook hands with the boys as they walked towards us.

"I can't believe you're here!" I screamed as I wrapped my hands around them and the three of us jumped in excitement.

"Edward invited us! Girl you never told me he owned Dawn!" Alice exclaimed.

"I didn't know! Seriously, all we did was fuck the last time I was here, I didn't exactly have time to ask him about work. And I wasn't exactly paying attention where he was taking me that first night. We came in from the back anyway. However, I'm so fucking glad you're here though! You won't believe the day we've had," the girls and I grabbed some drinks and sat down on the plush white couches. I recalled our date and the shooting range, meeting Sam, and then the phone call from Esme. I told them all about meeting Carlisle and figuring out that I've known him since I was a little girl. I didn't tell them about any threat as I wasn't sure if Edward and the guys wanted to discuss this with them just yet. Although they were my girls, I think it would be better coming from the guys. At least then I'll know they'll take it seriously.

"So Jasper and I have picked a date!" Alice shouted over the loud music, I still found it hard to believe they were getting married.

"Okay, so what have you guys decided?" I asked as I moved closer to be able to hear her. I sneaked a glance at Edward and he was in deep conversation with both men, his eyes glancing out into the club every now and then. The conversation looked heated as Emmett spoke with his hands and a scowl on his otherwise happy face.

"In 2 months!" She exclaimed and I nearly choked on my drink.

"Are you serious?! How the hell are we supposed to plan anything in 2 months?" I asked as I tried to swallow down the burn of my drink.

"Yeah I'm serious, why wait? And we don't need to plan anything, we're going to get married in a chapel in Vegas, we'll do a joint bachelor and bachelorette party the night before at a club. We only want you guys there, well, and Edward's parents. Jas told me Edward's mom helped raise him and he doesn't want her to miss it," she rambled on and it reminded me to let them know about the Hamptons.

"Esme invited us all to spend time at their Hampton home. A girly holiday but with the guys present. I told her we're pretty busy with our final year so maybe spring break?" They were both nodding before I finished speaking and I was glad they were on board.

Just then, Wild Thoughts came over the speakers and the three of us got up to dance. We walked over to the railing that looks down to the dance floor and danced next to it, the closest we can get to everyone else. I was glad the glass railing was blacked out because anyone looking up would have been able to see up our dresses.

I closed my eyes and let the music take over my body. Forgetting about any possible threat that could be hanging over our heads and I just lived in the moment. Rose and Alice sandwiched me between them and ran their hands over me, something we used to do to try and get noticed by the male species. Now, however, we were just out here for a good time seeing as the men we wanted were a couple of feet away from us, and they already belonged to us.

I opened my eyes and found Edward looking at me, he was sat forward on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees as his eyes wandered all over my body. I was suddenly burning for him; it was his touch I craved most.

The song morphed into Power Trip by J Cole and I moved away from the girls, walking over to Edward, I placed my drink down and took his outstretched hand. He got up and walked me over to where Demetri stood, he opened up the rope and let us out. We descended down the stairs and Edward led me through to the dancefloor. People parted like the red sea for him and I don't know how they managed it as the club was jam-packed. He stopped and turned to face me when we reached the middle of the club. His arms wound around me and he positioned his leg between mine. I was pretty sure he could feel the heat coming off me as I ground against his strong thigh.

I wrapped one hand around the back of his neck and leaned away from him, making sure to press down on his thigh. His hands stayed on my hips as we moved together. The beat of the song put us in a trance and as Edward pulled me in closer, he leaned down to my ear and whispered the chorus,

"_Would you believe me if I said I'm in love, baby, I want you to want me,_" my breath caught at the words and his hands squeezed me tighter. Edward trailed kisses down my neck and kept singing along to the chorus. When he looked up to face me, I couldn't believe what I saw staring back at me.

Love.

Pure love radiated out of him and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Edward?" I may as well have mouthed it because there was no way he could have heard me over the music.

He slowly nodded and then crashed his lips to mine. I was pretty sure I died and gone to heaven.

The kiss spoke so many words we weren't able to voice and I didn't want to stop.

I'm sure the song changed by now but we didn't care, he carried on claiming my lips as we stood in the middle of the dancefloor. I felt like I was in a dream and that any moment I will wake up in my bedroom.

When we eventually pulled apart, Edward grabbed hold of my hand once again and we made our way back to where our friends were. I was still in a bit of a daze and I didn't notice that he steered us over to the curtain that hid his office door. He put a code in and the door opened. Before I could do or say anything, I was pressed up against it once it shut behind me. My breathing was quick and shallow as Edward's body pressed up against mine.

"I fucking love you, Isabella. So fucking much it's scaring me. I was going to say it back at the shooting range but then the phone call happened and, shit baby, I just need you to know. I love you," he whispered the last part against my lips but didn't kiss me.

"I love you too Edward. So much that I feel like I can't breathe without you sometimes. You're who I've been looking for without realizing. I'm in this 100% and you're not getting rid of me now," I laughed at how true that was. If he ever gets the stupid idea that I'm safer without him, I'll have to smack some sense into him or shoot him in the leg, whichever one will be more effective.

I squealed as he lifted me up and finally claimed my lips again, we were both smiling into the kiss and I groaned once I felt Edward's erection against me. My underwear providing a none existing barrier between us as he thrust up against me, hitting my clit just right to make me scream out.

"I get to fucking keep you now. Every kiss, every moan, and every orgasm is mine Isabella so let me fucking hear it," he grunted as he continued to thrust into me, the friction from his jeans was delicious. I was already worked up from the dancefloor so it didn't take me long to fall over the edge. When I did, I screamed his name into the walls and fell forward against him. His hold on me never wavered as he moved us away from the door and to the desk.

_Fuck yes._


	11. Chapter 11

_**Sorry for the late posting! Been away with 0 electronics and it was great! I can't even describe how much I appreciate every single one of your favorites/follows/reviews! I know I'm not really jumping time in these chapters and I'm doing it day-by-day, so I hope you guys don't mind that too much. **_

_**Let's get back to these two though ;)**_

**_SM owns all that jelly_**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 11**

_"I get to fucking keep you now. Every kiss, every moan, and every orgasm is mine Isabella so let me fucking hear it," he grunted as he continued to thrust into me, the friction from his jeans was delicious. I was already worked up from the dancefloor so it didn't take me long to fall over the edge. When I did, I screamed his name into the walls and fell forward against him. His hold on me never wavered as he moved us away from the door and to the desk._

_Fuck yes._

Once we stood beside his desk, he set my ass down on top of it, pulling my dress over my ass in the process as his hands slipped from underneath me. I gasped at the cold surface.

Edward stepped back from me ever so slightly and his eyes darted down to my pussy. I watched as he bit down on his bottom lip and then moved down to his knees. I shivered at the thought of what he was about to do. His hands lightly ghosted over my legs and as he got to my knees, he spread my legs apart and leaned in closer to my center. My stomach tightened as his hot breath washed over my already sensitive core. His thumbs hooked under my underwear as he slowly inhaled me.

I supported myself with one hand on the edge of the desk as the other shot to his hair. I threw my head back when his nose brushed against my clit, making me jump just a little at the feeling.

"Edward please, don't tease baby," I groaned as the suspense was getting too much. I needed his tongue on me.

He chuckled and finally began pulling my underwear off and down my legs, dragging it extremely slowly, just to torture me even more. Once the offending garment was finally off me, I watched him pocket it. A tinkling laugh escaped me and his gaze shot back up to me, that ever-present smirk made me want to do unspeakable things to him. Things that hopefully I'll be able to do tonight when we went back up to his apartment.

"I love…your pussy angel. I love the way it looks all bare and shit. I love the way it glistens when you're wet. I fucking love the way it smells, that scent alone gets me hard as steel. And the way you taste…fuck Bella, I think I love that the most." He spoke against me, his lips brushing up against my wet center, making me buck my hips with every word. If he ever decided to step away from the Mob life, he should consider being one of those audiobook voices. He could make millions with just his voice.

I moaned as I listened to him talk about my pussy, and then finally, he did the thing I've been waiting for since he got down on his knees. His tongue licked me from my entrance up to my aching clit. I shuddered at the feeling and leaned back on my elbows; good thing he kept his desk clear. I leaned my head back and just allowed myself to feel. I knew that if I carried on watching him, it would be over before it starts.

He caressed my clit the way he caresses my tongue when we kiss. Sure strokes swept over it, applying just the right amount of pressure. Once his lips wrapped around it, I thought I was going to pass out from the feeling.

Edward continued to tongue fuck me and I began raising my hips and grinding against his face. His hands slid under my ass again and he held me closer to him.

"Shit…fuck yes I love that tongue baby," I exclaimed as I finally looked down at him. His eyes were watching me as he penetrated me with his tongue. It was getting too much, I was too far gone by this point to make it last longer. As soon as he bit down on my clit I shattered. I cried out loudly, no one would be able to hear me but even if they could, I got a bit of a rush just thinking about someone knowing what we were doing.

He helped me ride out my high as I lay there, spread for him, and panting. Never before has anyone had so much control over my body.

Edward got up and loomed over me, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. The taste of myself on his lips was driving me wild, there was something so sexy about it that it made me moan.

"I can't get enough of you sweetheart," he said against my lips whilst his thumbs rubbed circles on my hips.

I felt like I won the fucking lottery tonight. I couldn't believe he loved me. Never in a million years did I expect him to tell me he loves me whilst in the middle of a dance floor, days after meeting me. The realization that I loved him too was a shock to the system. But there was no way I was going to overthink what I was feeling. He needed to know that I felt the same. And god do I feel the same. Falling for him was like falling from grace.

I probably looked like a goof smiling the way that I was.

"How drunk are you baby?" he asked amused as he watched my smile get bigger.

"Not drunk at all. I'm just so fucking happy right now and I'm in love with you," I said as I stared at him, smiling like an idiot. He shook his head and leaned in to kiss me again. I laughed into the kiss and I felt him smile too.

"I love you too," those simple words meant absolutely everything to me.

"I want you," I moaned.

I slipped off the desk and turned my back to him, spreading my legs ever so slightly. He quickly caught on to what I wanted as he slapped my ass but then placed his hand on my back and lowered me down onto to desk. My nipples peaked at the cold tabletop and I watched my breath fan out in front of me as it misted the shiny surface where I rested my overheated cheek.

With my ass up in the air and the heeled boots giving me the perfect height, I heard Edward unbutton his jeans and his knuckles brushed up against my wet pussy. I then felt the tip of his cock gliding through my folds, coating it in the process. With one swift thrust, he was inside me and I cried out in pleasure.

"Edward-" my voice cut off as he picked up his pace and slammed into me. He was continuously hitting that sweet spot and I moved my legs together to make it tighter. Just that simple movement caused him to hit it harder.

"Fuck, your pussy is so tight. I love watching my cock fill you. And that ass Isabella, fuck!" He grunted as he continued to pound into me. I held on to the edge of the desk and tried to meet his thrusts but I was no longer in control of my body. He owned it. He controlled it and he made me cum once again.

Edward's cock was made for me, I was sure of it.

"God that feels so fucking good, feeling you cum on my coc...the way your pussy clenches down on me…Jesus," Edward panted out as his thrust became more erratic. I felt him twitch and with one final slam, he came inside me.

Edward gently collapsed on top of me, his dick still inside me and he placed light kisses on my exposed shoulder.

We both layed there spent, trying to catch our breaths.

Once Edward pulled out and stepped back, I lifted myself off the table and grabbed a napkin off his desk. I felt his cum drip down my leg before I could catch it though. Edward groaned behind me and I turned my head to see what was going on. I found his eyes were glued to my thigh as he watched his seed seeping out of me, there was something so primal in his expression that a slight shiver ran through me.

"It's so fucking sexy seeing my cum drip down your leg, it's like I've marked you, claimed you as mine," he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth as he kept staring. I have no problem with him claiming me as his. Hell, I was ready to scream it to the whole world.

I finally reached down and cleaned myself up, throwing the balled-up tissue, I watched it land straight in the wastebasket.

Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind and I giggled as he lifted me up and carried me over to the couch.

"Lay with me," he whispered as he lowered me down and then jumped in behind me, his back pressing against the couch.

I closed my eyes and relaxed into him, drawing lazy patterns on his forearm as he left gentle kisses on the back of my head. A complete contrast to how we were mere moments ago. This was just how we worked. Hot passion followed by tender loving.

"I never thought we'd end up like this," he whispered, like he was afraid to burst our little bubble. I turned over in his arms to face him. With a questioning look on my face, I waited for him to elaborate. "I never imagined falling in love, in a couple of days at that. I never saw myself as the settling type, I always thought I'd be fully committed to my job, to taking over from my father, but then I met you. God angel, you're already the best thing that's ever happened to me," he finished his proclamation with a tender kiss on my lips.

I basked in his warmth and the feel of his lips, never wanting this night to end. I tried to find the words to tell him that I felt the same.

"Before you, I was simply living, never really knowing what I wanted or who I wanted. I too, never thought I'd fall in love like this, not this quick that's for sure. But baby there's just something about you…I'm not the sort of person who believes in soul mates, that's more of an Alice thing, but I swear it feels like I've known you in my past life or something. I feel so drawn to you; I can't even explain it. I feel like my whole world has shifted and I'm excited to see where it takes me…takes us," I kissed him this time, deepening the kiss when his mouth opened up for me. Our tongues caressed, neither of us was fighting for dominance this time, just enjoying the feel of each other's lips. His hands gripped me tighter as I lifted my left leg over his hip, just trying to get closer. I was still bare as I lay next to him, I could feel his erection stirring and it was like a switch was flipped. Edward drew me in closer and ground himself against me. My hands shot to his hair and I groaned as he repeated the motion.

"Fuck, I want you again," I whispered as I felt the tip of his cock poke out the waistband of his boxers. Edward propped himself up on his elbow and maneuvered us so I was under him. With my legs still around him, I pushed his jeans down and moved his boxers lower in the process. His cock sprang free and rested against my clit. When I managed to take my eyes off his dick, I found Edward looking at me.

"I love you," he said as he entered me and lowered down to kiss me. I moaned into his mouth and he pulled back to look down to where we were joined.

"I love you too, so much," I responded, I threw my head back deeper into the couch and arched my back ever so slightly as the feel of him took over all my senses. The more we had sex, the better it felt.

With his arms by my head, I reached down and started playing with my clit, intensifying everything I was already feeling. It was like sensory overload as he continued to pump into me and my fingers knowingly played with my bundle of nerves. Edward sat up and took my left leg into the crook of his arm and leaned forward again, it felt like he went in deeper in this position and I was quickly reaching my tipping point.

"Come on baby…yes...that feels so fucking good. I'm so close Edward, please please please…" I begged as his cock hit my g-spot. His pace picked up and my fingers tried to follow. There was no going back now, I couldn't hold it back even if I wanted to. It almost felt like an out-of-body experience. My orgasm was so intense, I saw white specs behind my eyes as we both came at the same time. His loud exclamation sounded like it was underwater as I fell deeper in ecstasy.

Edward continued to slowly pump into me as I rode out my orgasm, with every stroke I felt like a second one was getting closer and closer. "God I'm so close again, baby please don't stop," I willed my fingers to pick up their pace again and as Edward thrust into me a couple more times, I arched my back again as the aftershock of my first orgasm pushed me over the edge again. I felt my pussy clench his cock as I pulsed on him, he grunted as he fell on top of me.

We were both spent from our highs. As we continued to lay on the couch, I ran my fingers through his hair and his right thumb rubbed circles on my hip. The only sound in the office was our breathing and the slight thumping of music from the other side. I knew we should probably get back to our friends but I was feeling selfish.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked as I gazed at him.

"I need you to meet Demetri properly, he's the only guy I trust to watch you if I'm not around," he mused as he lifted his head up to look at me.

"Okay, but it thought Felix was your main guy," I pondered as I remembered him greeting me by name, I only assumed Edward's told him about me.

"Why the fuck would Felix by my main guy? He's just the security for this place," Edward retorted.

"Well, I thought you'd told him about me. Didn't you hear him greet me by name when we got in? I must say, there's something creepy about him, the way he stares-" I stopped talking as Edward sat up and frowned at me.

"What the fuck do you mean he greeted you by name? No one fucking knows your name Bella, I made fucking sure of that!" He was definitely pissed now.

"Edward, didn't you hear him?" He was right next to me when we walked into the building, how could he not have heard him?

"No, my mind was all over the fucking place, what with dad being in the hospital, your safety, not knowing how to tell you I love you; I was all over the place sweetheart. I wasn't fucking paying attention. And I promise you, that stops right fucking now," Edward got off the couch and pulled his boxers and jeans up, quickly buttoning them and walking over to his desk. He picked up something that looked like an earpiece and growled into it.

"Demetri, get inside my office NOW!" I quickly scrambled off the couch and straightened my dress, making sure all my bits were covered. I walked over to the desk and grabbed another tissue to clean myself up, there was no way I was going to let anyone else see cum drip down my leg. As I discarded the tissue, the door to Edwards office burst open and Demetri walked in, quickly shutting the door behind him. I moved over to one of the chairs that faced the desk and waited for Edward to say something. He looked absolutely murderous.

"What's her name?" Edward demanded. I turned to look at him, confused as hell.

"Sir?" Demetri questioned whilst looking from Edward to me.

"What's her fucking name Demetri?! It's not fucking rocket science!" My pussy clenched at the tone of his voice. Now was seriously not the time to be turned on.

_Down girl._

"I'm sorry Sir, I don't know," Demetri's facial expression never changed as he looked at Edward. Not fazed by Edward's tone at all.

"See what I mean princess, no one fucking knows your name!" He growled as he turned his heated gaze to me. I nodded and turned to face Demetri.

I got up and walked over to him, I held my hand out "Isabella Swan," Demetri took my outstretched hand and shook it. His grip was strong, I could even feel the callouses on his hand.

"D has watched my ass since I was a little kid. He's the only one I fucking trust aside from Jasper and Emmett. Would you like to tell me how the fuck Felix knows my girl's name?" Edward looked back at Demetri who furrowed his eyebrows as Edward spoke.

Demetri clasped his hands in front of him and stood straight as he addressed Edward.

"No Sir, but I will make sure you have that information before dawn. I can assure you he was screened before we hired him. I will look deeper and check his inner circle, see who he's hanging with," Demetri declared as he looked Edward straight in the eyes.

"Make it discreet, he seems to be close with Alec so I'd start there."

"Sir, Miss Swan," he addressed me and then left. The office was still filled with tension and I was starting to get worried.

"Edward-"

"Nothing will happen to you Isabella, I fucking swear it. If I have to get rid of Felix then so be it, he's replaceable. You, on the other hand, you're not baby. I can't have anything happen to you. I'd lock you up in my penthouse if it meant keeping you safe, but I'm scared you'd shoot my dick off if I even suggest it," his attempt at humor was futile. I didn't know what any of this meant. I can't wrap my head around the turn of events. What does it mean for me that Felix knows my name? How the fuck does he know my name if Edward never told him? He's only ever seen me twice now. God, what if someone has been following me? Following us? We've been parading this afternoon completely blissful and in our own little bubble as Edward took me out on our date.

The vibration of Edward's phone on the desk made me jump.

"Emmett's asking if we're coming back out. Do you want to go back to your friends baby?" Edward asked as he walked around to me and knelt before me. I cupped his face as he looked at me, searching my eyes for something.

"Yeah. I need a fucking drink," I responded as I stood up and walked past him. I was near the door when I felt him grab my wrist and turn me.

"Don't fucking do that. Don't shut me out now. I promise I will keep you safe," he vowed to me as he gripped the back of my neck to draw me closer. His forehead rested on mine and I fisted his shirt.

"I'm not some little girl that needs protecting Edward! I need to fucking know what I'm up against not sit in some high tower waiting to be fucking saved!" I suddenly seethed. Getting pissed off at the whole situation.

"Show some fucking respect!" he growled back.

"Fuck you! I'm not a fucking doormat bitch who's just going to bow down to you. If we're in this then I'm your fucking equal!" I barked back as I pushed him away. He wasn't thinking clearly! He was too afraid something was going to happen to me but that only puts him in danger.

"Listen here-" I cut him off.

"No, you fucking listen! I love you, you fucking idiot! Stop and fucking start thinking clearly. Before I came along you wouldn't bat an eye at this shit but now that I'm in your life, you're not being rational. You're being ridiculous if you think I'm just going to sit there and wait for something to happen to you whilst I'm hiding away. I can protect myself, baby. Trust me, please," I begged at the end. I needed him to realize I was his fucking equal. So what if I wasn't born into his type of life. There was no way in hell I was going to play the hopeless little girl he seems to think I am.

"Fuck, Bella, stop fighting me on this! It would fucking kill me if something were to happen to you! I know you're not a doormat bitch, god angel you're far from it. It fucking scares me how much you mean to me. You're right, I'm not fucking thinking clearly. If you want to be my equal then you have to work with me, not against me Bella. You're like a loaded fucking gun sometimes. You react in a way I could never predict. Talk to me Bella, don't shut me out. We can deal with this together, but you also have to listen to me," he pleaded with me and my legs gave out from under me as the fight left me. Edward caught me before I hit the floor and he lifted me up bridal style and carried me over to the couch again.

Images of what we did on here before the shit storm hit flashed through me. I wished more than anything that we could go back to that moment. He was right though, I needed to stop reacting and just hear him out.

"You're right, I'm sorry. What's going to happen now?" I wondered as he held me in his arms.

"We wait to hear back from Demetri. We need to know how Felix knew your name. I really want you to stay here with me. It would make things a hell of a lot easier for me knowing you're here." he said as he kissed the side of my head. I simply nodded against him. I wasn't going to argue about that seeing as I wanted to stay with him. I'll be able to attend my classes virtually for the time being, at least until we figure out the whole Felix mess.

"You want to go back out there?" he asked as his hand trailed down to my ass. What I wanted was to go back up to his condo and climb into bed with him.

"Yeah sure. I wanna talk to the girls anyway. Have you told Emmett and Jasper what's going on?" I wondered as I turned to look at his handsome face.

"Yeah, they know security will have to be tight for the moment, at least until my father gets better. They want the girls to stay with them," he informed me and I was please to know they were taking this seriously.

I slipped off Edward's lap and made my way to the restroom in the office. I left the door open as I fixed my makeup. I could see Edward through the reflection of the mirror. He looked like the whole world was resting on his shoulders as he gazed at me.

I needed to put my big girl panties on right now and just get through this, with him and by his side.


	12. Chapter 12

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 12**

_I slipped off Edward's lap and made my way to the restroom in the office. I left the door open as I fixed my makeup. I could see Edward through the reflection of the mirror. He looked like the whole world was resting on his shoulders as he gazed at me. _

_I needed to put my big girl panties on right now and just get through this, with him and by his side_.

I was running down the corridor and I could hear someone chasing me, their footsteps getting closer and closer to me. I felt like I was never going to reach that elevator. I wasn't even sure how I was going to gain access to it because I needed Edward's fingerprint. I felt a cold breath on the back of my neck and I whipped around quickly to see who it was. Felix was glaring at me and reaching for my arm, but I pulled my arm back and felt cold metal in my hand. I wrapped my fingers around a gun and pointed it at his head.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I screamed.

"ISABELLA!" Edward's voice sounded through the fog and I shook my head trying to clear it, shutting my eyes tightly in the process as Felix's face morphed into Edward's.

"Angel?" when I opened them, I was sat upright and pointing an actual gun at Edward's head. My knuckles were white with how tightly I held the gun, still pointing at him. I couldn't quite understand where the gun came from. My breathing was quick and I felt sweat drip down my neck.

Edward looked worried as his panicked eyes searched mine.

"Sweetheart I'm going to take the gun from you now, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," his velvet voice rang loudly in the otherwise quiet room. It was still dark out and the bright moon shone straight into his bedroom, illuminating us.

I watched his hands snake around mine and gently tug the gun out. My breathing picked up and I felt a lump form at the back of my throat. I'd never felt fear like that before. All I knew was that I needed to run. I dry sob escaped me as Edward clicked the safety on, I can't believe I managed to turn it off in my sleep.

_Fuck I could have easily shot him!_

My arms dropped to my side as I watched Edward sit up and place the gun on his nightstand. When he turned back to look at me, I lost it. The flood gates opened and I started mumbling how sorry I was. I was sure I was telling him about my dream but I don't think he could actually understand what I was saying. I felt so out of control and I started to panic.

"Shhhh baby it's ok, I'm here Bella, I fucking promise you nothing will happen to you. Shhhh darling I've got you, I've got you now," he moved me to straddle him and I shook in his arms. My naked chest pressed tightly to his. I lay my head on the crook of his neck as he kept running his hands up and down my back. Whispers of his love fell from his lips as he gently rocked us. I couldn't stop the tears from falling, soaking his skin in the process.

I had plenty of bark but no bite by the looks of it. I fought my corner and lost. If a dream can make me crumble like this, then what good am I in a real situation? I told Edward I want to be treated like his equal but here I am, sat in his lap crying like a fucking child because of a bad dream.

"Bella look at me baby," Edward whispered as he moved his hands to my face. I pulled back and looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but love and worry staring back at me. The pads of his thumbs wiped away the tears and I couldn't wipe the imagine of pointing that gun at him out of my mind.

"God you're so beautiful," he said as he looked at me. I wanted to look away because that's the last thing I felt. I could feel his erection stirring between us, my nipples went hard in the process. It was like there was some sort of link between us. Our bodies did the talking for us in that moment.

I wanted my dream to be erased, he was the only one who could do that right now.

"Sweetheart we don't have-" but I cut him off when I crashed my lips to his. My hips raising slightly in the process, trying to find some form of friction.

"Make it go away baby," I whined against his lips and his hold on me tightened.

I wrapped my legs around him. As I maneuvered, he grabbed hold of his cock and positioned himself against my entrance. I slightly lifted myself up and slipped down his erection. Moaning at the feeling of finally being connected to him. We stayed still for a moment as Edward wrapped his arms around my back and pressed me closer to him. I felt new tears roll down my cheeks as I started moving against him. It was slow, there was no rush this time. It didn't feel like fucking, this felt like it was more.

My breath caught in my throat as he began to match my movements. Slowly raising his hips up to meet mine. His right arm snaked down to my ass and he pressed me closer, causing my clit to rub against him. I wrapped one arm around his neck, with the other I leaned back and placed it on his outstretched leg. My head fell back as I got lost in us. Both of his hands were on my hips now as he helped guide me over him. He turned his face and gently bit my arm that was around him. The feeling made my insides clench as I gently picked up my pace.

"Fuck you feel so good this way," he grunted and I looked up to see him bite his bottom lip. I wanted to feel those lips on me so I leaned in closer and bit that bottom lip for him. His tongue snaked out and I opened my mouth to give him access. Our kiss matched the pace of our bodies as our tongues caressed. I welcomed that tingling feeling at the pit of my stomach, it almost grounded me and all I could focus on was the feel of us.

Edward's cock kept hitting that spot, over and over and over again. I dug my arms into his shoulders for leverage as I continued to bounce on top of him. I felt him twitch inside me and I knew he was close. I felt his legs tense and he moved one hand between us, rubbing my clit in the process. He pressed firmly onto my clit and I shattered around him. His name left my lips as I fell over the edge once again tonight.

I stayed still as I continued to milk him and he gently bit my shoulder as his own release followed mine.

After he cleaned us both up, we laid back in bed and he wrapped his arms around me from behind. I matched my breathing to him, no words were spoken between us as he stayed wrapped around me. I never wanted his arms to loosen their grip, I felt secure in them.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered into the quiet of the room.

"And I love you. You're mine Bella, no one will ever take you away from me," he vowed as his grip tightened around me.

I snuggled back into him and sleep took me under once again.

* * *

"What the fuck is that noise?" I felt Edward growl into the back of my head. We had stayed in the same position for the rest of the night as we slept. I didn't have any more nightmares, only dreaming of a sandy beach and Edward in navy shorts, white open shirt exposed his magnificent chest and abs as he walked towards where I lay, waiting for him. He was like a cold drink on a hot summer's day.

It took a while for me to realize it was my phone ringing. I reached out for my purse on the nightstand and dug around until I grasped my phone. I pulled it out and squinted to see who the hell was calling me. I quirked an eyebrow when I finally realized it was my father.

"Hello?"

"Isabella where the hell have you been? Your mother and I have been trying to reach you since last night! I even called your sorority and the girls said you were out. You still have class young lady, you better be on your way to your first lecture," he growled over the line and I had to pull the phone away from my ear as he rambled on. I felt Edward's silent laughter behind me, but his laughter wasn't the only thing I could feel. His cock was pressed tightly against me, poking me in the ass.

"Dad it's too early for this conversation. Was there a reason you've been hunting me down?" The last thing I wanted was a lecture from him. As far as I was aware, I should be the one questioning him.

"Your mother and I are in town and we want to see you. Can you spare a minute for your folks in your busy schedule?" He snarked and I heard papers shuffling in the background. It took me a moment to answer him as Edward grabbed my breast and squeezed it. I backed my ass up into him and he groaned behind me.

"What was that?" My father questioned and I froze.

"Nothing." I deadpanned

"Isabella have you got someone there with you?!" I could just imagine that vein popping out on dad's forehead.

"Dad I'll call you back," I quickly hung up as Edward slipped his dick inside me. My moan would have made a porn star blush.

"Fuck. Baby...I was on the phone...to my...father. Shit shit shit unghhh don't stop…" I reached behind me and weaved my fingers into his sex hair. I gripped tightly as he pounded into me from behind. I pushed back to match his pace and his free hand shot to my hip, squeezing it tightly and it's most likely going to leave a mark there later.

I lifted my right leg up and over him, opening myself up even more.

I heard my phone continue to ring but there was no way in hell I was picking up. Not when it was getting to the best part. I was so wet for him and the sound of him pounding into me, his skin slapping against mine, was just the sexiest sound ever. Edward moaned behind me and latched onto my neck as his pace increased. He lapped at my neck, leaving a hot wet trail to the spot behind my ear which he knew drove me crazy.

"That's it baby, fucking squeeze my cock. Fuck you're so tight Isabella…made for me-" he mumbled incoherently. My moans and groans got louder and louder. I was thankful he had no neighbors because they would be banging on the walls to shut us up.

"Come on, come on my dick Bella, I need to feel it," he breathed into my hair and my stomach clenched at his voice. I moved my hand down to my clit and began rubbing it, I couldn't leave my girl out. With the combination of his pounding and my rubbing, I soon came crashing down. The scream that left me was feral and I felt Edward grin as his own movements stopped. I felt my pussy pulsing as I tried to catch my breath. A huffing laugh escaped me at how different this was to earlier.

I feel like we made love earlier, but this morning we were back to fucking like we normally do.

I moved my leg back down and Edward slipped out of me and got out of bed. I turned and watched him stretch beside the window, flashing his dick to the city. I giggled as I watched his ass clench in the process.

_God, he was sexy from the back_. I couldn't decide what I loved more, Edward's ass or abs. His cock had a category all on its own obviously.

"Wanna get in the shower?" He wiggled his eyebrows as he turned to face me, his cock still standing long and proud. I nodded dumbly and scrambled to get out of bed. I walked over to him and he lifted me up and over his shoulder as he walked us over to the en suite. I giggled like a little girl the whole time, slapping his ass in the process. God even the sound of that was delicious.

Speaking of delicious, I was extremely sore now that I was moving around. I absolutely loved it though. It was proof we couldn't get enough of each other. And he was definitely feeding my addiction. I finally found someone who wanted sex as much as me.

Edward reached out and turned the shower on, jets from the wall shot out and I squealed as cold water hit me from all sides before it quickly warmed up. Edward gently set me on my feet and I reached up on my tiptoes and kissed him. Now that my feet weren't in heels, I realized how much shorter I am than him. Edward smiled into the kiss and grabbed my ass as he pulled me closer.

I gasped at the ache I felt and Edward pulled back questioningly.

"I'm just sore baby," I responded and laughed at his cocky smirk.

"If anything was going to stroke my ego, it was that," he said as his hand moved and wrapped around his cock as he washed under the spray. I groaned as I watched his big hand wrap around him whilst the other ran up and down his chest. I watched the water run down his body and I wanted to be the one to touch him. I moved beside him and grabbed the body wash, quickly lathering up my hands, I began washing his chest as his hands moved out of the way. I concentrated on every body part I touched, making sure to cover every patch of skin. I was gentle as I wrapped my hands around his soft cock, marveling at how big he still is whilst he wasn't hard.

He kneeled down in front of me when it was time to wash his hair and I kissed the top of his head before reaching down and grabbing the shampoo from the built-in shelf. I massaged his scalp as I washed his hair, making it into a mohawk and giggling at Edward's growl. He tilted his head back to rinse it and then stood up straight again.

"My turn," he said as he grabbed the body wash and began running his hands over my wet body. My nipples peaked as soon as he touched them. He paid close attention to my breasts as he lathered them up. I moaned at the feel of his hands as they slipped over them, the body wash lubricating my skin against his hands.

When it came to my pussy, he gently ran his hand over it, knowing how sensitive it was right now. He didn't even try to tease me and I think I fell in love with him even more at that moment.

We kissed as we washed each other and it was silly and carefree. I couldn't stop the moan when he washed my hair. Never in my life have I had a guy wash my hair for me. I couldn't even describe what that felt like.

Once we were both done, we stepped out of the shower, and Edward wrapped a fluffy towel around me and then grabbed one for himself. I was mesmerized by the water droplets that ran down his chiseled chest. I teasingly reached out and ran my finger down his snail trail, gently tugging on his towel and enjoying the way his stomach tensed in the process.

We heard Edward's phone ring and he walked out of the bathroom to get it whilst I stayed and tried to towel dry my long hair as best as I could. I walked out and found him already dressed in his black suit trousers and a black shirt. He looked absolutely sinful in all black and I watched as he carried on talking on the phone whilst trying to fasten his cufflinks. I made my way over to him and took over. He dropped a kiss to my forehead and began barking orders to whoever he was on the phone to.

Once I was done, I turned to my overnight bag and took out my grey fitted sweatpants and a white cotton Calvin Klein bralette. I walked over to Edward's dresser and fished out a pair of white gym socks and put them on too. They were too big of course but they looked good with the rest of my outfit, and they kept my feet toastie warm. I pulled my hair up in a messy bun, allowing it to dry naturally.

I walked out into the kitchen and started on breakfast, hoping Edward will have time to have some with me before he leaves. He told me last night that he had some business to take care of and then he will be working from home when he gets back. It will give me time to log into my lecture and give my father a call back.

I took out all the ingredients for French toast, bacon and eggs as well as a smoothie. I wasn't sure yet what he likes for breakfast or whether he ate anything at all.

I felt like a domestic goddess in his fancy kitchen and I was afraid of ruining his appliances. I turned to his docking station on put some music on as I got to work. I danced around the kitchen as I prepared our food looking through every cabinet to figure out where everything was. I don't know why but I was surprised to find 3 extra hidden guns in some of the cupboards- especially one between the liquor bottles. I shook my head and made sure to ask him just how many were lying around the place, just so I know.

The sound of his shoes on the marble floor made me turn to him and I was met with a sexy smirk on his lips as he leaned against the wall by the kitchen and watched me.

"I hope you have time to have breakfast with me. I wasn't sure what or if you eat anything at all so you've got options," I rambled as I turned the grill off and piled up the bacon. I set up the breakfast bar with plates and turned the coffee machine on.

"You know you didn't have to do all of this. I would have grabbed something on my way out," he said as he walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I know, I wanted to do this. I'll be invading your space for the next few days so the least I can do is feed you," I reply as I lean up and kiss him. The coffee machine beeps and I pull away from him and pour us both a cup each. We both sit down and dig in. Edward piles his plate up with eggs and bacon whilst I go straight for the French toast. It was like my hangover go-to, the girls and I must have gone through 4 bottles of champagne last night so I was definitely feeling a little fragile this morning.

We eat in silence for a while and it's extremely comfortable. It feels like this is just a regular morning for us.

I can't help but run my fingers through his hair as I watched him devour the food, glad to see that he was enjoying it.

"God woman where did you learn to cook like that?" he mumbled as he continued to chew. I shoved him slightly for talking with his mouth full and he just gave me a cheesy grin in response.

"From one of my many nannies. My mother can't cook for shit so I had to learn somehow," I respond as I enjoy my coffee. _Praise the lord for coffee machines_.

He laughed and continued to eat, his phone constantly going off next to us.

"Is it always like this?" I ask as I point to it, name after name keeps flashing up as message after message chimes in.

He nods as he takes a huge gulp of his coffee.

"I have a lot of people that have to answer to me. I need to know they're handling shit before I get there. Plus I'm waiting to hear from my mother to find out if dad's being released yet," he put his coffee down and turned in his chair to face me, "Thank you angel, this has been the best breakfast I've had in a long time, I can definitely get used to this," he said as he reached up and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ear. I smiled at the simple gesture and leaned in as he kissed my lips.

"What will you do whilst I'm out?" he wondered.

"I need to log into my lecture and I need to call dad back. I'll let you know how that little talk goes," I said begrudgingly as I roll my eyes at his chuckle.

"I'm sure if anyone can handle your father, it's you. I know he's aware of what my father does but can I just ask that you don't tell him too much about me. We don't know if anyone could be tapping into his phone and I'm pretty sure if your mother is around, she doesn't know about any of this," he pleaded.

"Baby you've got nothing to worry about, I won't say anything he doesn't need to know. You can trust me, Edward."

"I know princess, and I do trust you. Just let me know how it goes okay?" I nodded as he stood up and walked back into his office but came straight back out.

He came out wearing his suit jacket and I swear I dribbled a bit at the sight of him. He looked lethal in the whole get up and I wanted to climb him, soreness be dammed.

He strode back over to me and placed his hands on my face, leaning down and capturing my lips in his again. I moaned at the contact and felt him smile against me. He smelled incredible. I was a little grateful he worked with men, I don't know if I could handle sending him out looking and smelling the way he does if he worked around women.

"I love you and I'll see you around 2," he said after pulling back.

"I love you too, let me know when you're on your way back," I said as I got up and walked to the elevator with him.

He pulled me in with another kiss and I then watched as the door closed between us and it was just me in his condo.

"Ok Bella, time to get to work," I said to myself as I walked back over to the docking station and turned the volume up. I realized I didn't pack my laptop with me whilst I cleaned up from breakfast so I sent out a quick message to Edward asking if I can use the one on his coffee table. His reply was instant and he informed me that I was free to use anything I wanted. I felt warm and tingly knowing he felt at ease leaving me here with all his things, giving me free rein to everything.

Once I logged into my lecture and made sure my attendance was marked, I carried on tidying up the place, picking up scattered clothes from the night before. Chuckling as I remembered stripping last night as we came back up and made our way to the bedroom. By the time we reached his bed all I had on were my over the knee boots and my birthday suit. A shuddering breath spread through me as I recalled our night. Once I was back in the bedroom, I picked up my discarded boots as well as Edward's jeans and shirt that he worse last night. I brought the shirt up to my nose and inhaled his mouth-watering scent. It was divine.

I was making the bed when my phone began ringing again. I took a peek at it and saw that it was Alice, releasing a breath I didn't realize I was holding I grabbed it and answered it.

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god let me just tell you about the fuck hot night I had with my future husband!" and with that, she was off.


	13. Chapter 13

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 13**

_I was making the bed when my phone began ringing again. I took a peek at it and saw that it was Alice, releasing a breath I didn't realize I was holding I grabbed it and answered it._

"_Oh my god oh my god oh my god let me just tell you about the fuck hot night I had with my future husband!" and with that, she was off._

Alice and I stayed on the phone for a few hours as she recalled her night with Jasper. We eventually had a 3-way phone call when Rose joined us. They asked me if I was sure that I wanted this life with Edward, it annoyed me that I had to explain myself once again but they promised that they were just looking out for me. The last thing they wanted was to see me hurt. The only thing that would hurt me now was if Edward didn't want anything to do with me. It was scary to think about how much power he had over my heart.

I eventually told them about my nightmare and Alice put her Psych Major hat on and tried to evaluate it. When she asked me where I got the gun from it threw me, the only thing I could come up with was that Edward slept with one under his pillow. She thinks that the fear of not knowing Felix's intentions was what caused the dream.

We made promises to get together in a few days, of course, the guys will have to come with us but we were fine with that.

I was just finishing off taking notes of the lecture I hardly paid any attention to when the intercom sounded. I wasn't sure whether I should answer it so I quickly called Edward.

"Bella what's wrong?" he sounded breathless; I was too familiar with that sound by now. It's the way he sounds whilst we're fucking...

"Who you with?!" I barked.

"What? Baby what's wrong?" he mumbled something in the background that almost sounded like 'shut the fuck up' and it wasn't helping his case.

"Who the fuck are you with and why the hell do you sound so breathless?" I demanded once again.

"I'm in the warehouse, Isabella. What the fuck's got into you?" Now he was barking at me.

"I swear to god I will chop your balls off if you're fucking someone!" God, as soon as the words left my mouth I thought I was going to throw up.

"You've got to be kidding me with this shit! Baby I swear I'm at the warehouse getting shit done, I'm in a room surrounded by guys. Do you seriously think I would cheat on you?!" He snarled and I heard a door slam on the other line.

The intercom kept beeping and it reminded me why I called him in the first place.

"Are you expecting someone today?" I change the topic.

"Jesus…no I'm not why do you ask?" He sounded exasperated.

"Someone's trying to come up," I say as I walk over to the elevator.

"Shit! Hold on baby-" I hear him slam a door open and call Emmett's name. "Get to my penthouse now! Bella said someone's trying to get in!" He barked out. I heard Emmett say he was on his way and then Edward got back on the line.

"He's coming. Don't let anyone in baby, Emmett will come in through the office so don't shoot him. I promise I won't be much longer, I just need to ask a few more questions and I'll come home. It seems like we need to have a little talk," I gulp a little at the bite in his tone. I know I overreacted but shit, I couldn't help myself. I never saw myself as the jealous type but this man was changing me.

"Ok. I'll wait for Emmett and I guess I'll see you when you get back," I say and move to end the call but I hear him call my name.

"I love you, please remember that," he says before the line goes dead. I pull back and see the call had ended and I'm tempted to throw the phone at the wall in frustration.

I heard a ding of the elevator but it's faint and then Edward's office door opens and Emmett steps out. I was surprised how quickly he got here, the warehouse must be closer than I thought. The intercom is still going as Emmett walks over to me, he quickly wraps his beefy arm around me in a hug and kisses the top of my head like always. I give him a quick squeeze and move aside as he walks over to the panel and presses a few buttons. I watch in amazement as a screen appears and reveals a delivery boy with a bouquet of flowers that covered his face. You can see Felix as he stands by the back door.

My hands ball into fists as I watch him. The smug bastard just lets anyone in by the looks of it.

"Did Cullen buy you flowers Bella?" Emmett turns to me and I look back at him in confusion. Edward wouldn't have had them delivered like this, knowing I was home alone.

"I don't think so. He didn't mention anything," as I was talking, Emmett took his phone out and moved it up to his ear. I heard Edward's booming voice on the other side loud and clear.

"You better fucking be there and looking at Bella as we speak!" He snarled.

"Will you just listen you little shit! Did you order Bella flowers?" I'd never seen Emmett look so serious before.

"What? No, I didn't order no fucking flowers, the fuck you on about?" _Then who the hell knew I was here?_

"I'm looking at a delivery boy who's conveniently hiding his face with the flowers. I can see Felix in the background smirking like an idiot expecting Bella to answer." Emmett remarked and I heard profanities leave Edward's mouth.

"Ok, stay there I'm on my way." The line went dead and Emmett pocketed the phone and moved back to the panel on the screen. With his fingers pressing on buttons he moved the camera angle around to try and get a better look at the delivery guy, but the bouquet was too big and covered him pretty well.

I felt like I was in some sort of movie. There's no way this was my life.

The intercom buzzed one more time before we watched the delivery guy turn back to Felix, say something, and then walk back to him. He handed Felix the flowers and left. Felix threw the flowers down to the side and pulled his phone out. He looked pissed as hell with whoever he was on the phone with. I wished this thing had audio so that we could hear what he was saying.

My heartbeat increased when I watched Edward step through the entrance. Felix pocketed his phone and moved to shut the door behind Edward. Edward stopped to look at the flowers and turned to face Felix. I was once again frustrated that we couldn't hear what was said but I watched Felix bend down and retrieve the flowers and hand them to Edward. Edward took the bouquet and walked over to the elevator, he didn't even look up to the camera and I watched his hand reach out as he scanned his thumb. I could hear the elevator come to life as it climbed the levels back to us.

The doors dinged and when they opened, they revealed Edward crushing the life out of the flowers. His hands were tightly squeezing the coral rosebuds and I watched as a few of the petals fell to the floor of the elevator. My angel looked absolutely murderous as he stepped in the foyer and was in front of me in two strides. His breathing was fast as he held the beat-up roses in one hand and reached out for my face with the other.

"Was there a note?" Emmett asked and I jumped a little at his voice, almost forgetting he was there with us.

"Yeah," was Edward's only response as he kept looking at me.

"Want me to stick around?"

"No. Go back to the warehouse, Demetri is still questioning Alec and Jasper is getting antsy," Edward responded and leaned in to place a kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes at the feeling and willed myself not to cry.

I moved back from Edward and grabbed hold of the ruined flowers. Walking into the kitchen I threw them in the trash. Emmett walked up to me and gave me a bear hug. Telling me everything will be fine and he'll look out for me. I made him promise to look out for Edward too. With a quick nod at both of us, he walked back into the office and I heard the elevator doors close.

I let out a long breath and looked to where Edward was still standing. His fists kept clenching and unclenching. He looked like he wanted to punch something as his nostrils flared. I noticed a piece of paper in one of his fists and I wondered if that was the note. I squared my shoulders and walked back over to him.

"Do you know the meaning behind that color?" he asked out of nowhere.

"No…" I replied, waiting for him to elaborate.

"It means desire. Whoever sent these, they fucking want you, Bella! This means they've seen you, they know you or at least they want to get to know you. Can you think of anyone that has been lurking around? Or someone you happen to meet once but you turned them down? Anyone at all Bella?" I was finding it hard to process this. There was so much tension in the space between us and I couldn't think straight. He was putting me on edge and it put me in a fight or flight mode. I couldn't even think straight let alone give him something that could give us a clue as to who sent these.

My hands went into my hair as my breathing picked up. Edward continued to stand there and stare at me.

"Gosh, I don't fucking know. I don't exactly ask for the names of guys I turn down. The only guy that's been lurking was Mike but that was only at the car wash. I've not seen him around at all before that. Edward, I'm not as vigilant as you. I don't go into every room and scope out the place, that's you not me! I don't know what you expect me to say! How do you know it's not someone you've pissed off? How do you know it's not Felix who sent them and he was looking for a way to get inside?" I paced in front of him as I rambled on. I never had to concern myself with these sorts of things before. Now I wished I had.

Edward finally moved and stopped me mid-pace. He wrapped his arms around me and held onto me tightly. "You're right I'm sorry. You've been thrown into my life and I just expect you to know everything I do. I didn't mean to scare you, baby. I'm so sorry, this is what I was scared of the first night I met you. This isn't what I wanted for you. You shouldn't have to look over your shoulder for the rest of your life. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing! I don't need you to be sorry! Just tell me we can handle this, tell me everything will be fine as long as we stick together," I pleaded. I didn't want him to suddenly decide this was too dangerous and we shouldn't be together.

I'm all in, there's no going back for me now. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. I poured everything into that kiss and relaxed some as soon as he kissed me back.

His hand moved under my ass and he lifted me up, I wrapped my legs around him and carried on claiming his mouth. He walked us over to the couch and sat down with me still on top of him. His hands stayed on my ass and I lifted myself up on my knees and moved my head to the side, to get a better claim of his lips. Our tongues danced together and I poured all my worries into him.

My phone started ringing next to us and for a second I was going to ignore it but then I remembered I didn't call my dad back.

Shit.

Speak of the devil.

"Hi daddy," I answered sweetly.

"Don't daddy me Isabella! Where the hell are you?!" He demanded. So I guess we're back to that conversation.

"I'm at Edward's," I responded and Edward smirked at me

"Who the fuck is Edward?!" I bet any money that vein has popped out on his forehead.

"My baby daddy," I loved winding him up.

"WHAT?! I swear to all that's holy Isabella you better be fucking joking! You can't get pregnant! What about your future? I worked too damn fucking hard to get you where you are right now! And you go and get yourself knocked up?!" He seethed and I don't think I've ever heard him so angry before. The fact that he believes it shows just how little my father knows me.

"Of course I'm fucking joking! Edward is my boyfriend, dad. Oh, and I know all too well just how hard _YOU_ worked to get _ME_ here! How much work _YOU'VE_ put in getting _ME_ into Law school on a scholarship. How high _YOU_ scored on the exams to get _ME_ here! Don't give me that bullshit Charlie. You know this isn't what I wanted to do yet you pushed and pushed me into doing something you wanted," _How many more times will I have to fight today?_ I was so tired of it all. I dropped my head to Edward's shoulder as a lone tear slid down my face. I was simply exhausted from the rollercoaster of emotions I've been through today.

"Journalism isn't going to get you anywhere in life Bella! It's a dead-end job and you know it. You can make a name for yourself with Law!" I lost count the number of times we've had the same argument.

"Oh like you have? What would your golfing buddies think if they knew the company you used to keep dad? I seem to have gained some interesting facts about you daddy dearest," I snarked back and the line went quiet. I pulled the phone back to see if he had actually hung up on me because he had gone so quiet.

"What are you talking about?" His voice was clipped.

"Edward took me to the shooting range and I met an old friend of yours. Does the name Sam ring any bells? A big beefy looking guy with a nasty scar on his cheek, has got a little twinkle in his eye though. Oh yeah, big Sam told me all about your motorcycle days dad. He misses you, by the way, I doubt he'd like who you have become though. I wouldn't have pegged you for someone who would turn his back on his friends. Is that what you did to Carlisle Cullen too?" Edward tensed under me and I grabbed his hand in mine and kissed his knuckles to put him at ease as well as myself with the contact.

"How do you know that name?!" There was fear in my father's voice. Something I don't think I've ever heard. I had enough of this conversation though. I was tired of arguing, tired of explaining myself.

"We got reacquainted recently. I don't think it's a good idea for us to get together dad. Tell mom I'm busy with college work and I'll see you guys during my next break. I love you both. Goodbye Charlie." And with that, I ended the call and nuzzled closer to Edward. I didn't know what to feel when dad didn't even try to call me back. I just hoped at least something sunk into his thick skull for once.

* * *

I don't know how or when I fell asleep but I stirred when I heard Edward talking. I opened my eyes and I was still on the couch; a throw was draped over me and my phone lay next to an empty whiskey tumbler on the coffee table. My stomach grumbled in hunger and I realized I didn't have lunch today, the last meal I ate was breakfast with Edward. I sat up, a little disorientated as I tried to listen out for him. I heard his quiet voice speaking to someone but no response, which probably meant he was on the phone. I swear he should have that thing glued to his face.

I moved the throw off me and padded over to the office. Edward was sat behind the desk with his phone resting between his ear and shoulder as he typed something on the computer. The huge screen displayed the bar staff stocking the shelves. Edward mentioned that the bar was closed on Mondays, so there was little to no activity going on at the moment. I walked closer to him, and Edward scooted out from behind the desk so I could sit on his lap. He wrapped an arm around my back as I sat down. I kissed his forehead as he continued to talk on the phone. Now that I was closer, I could make out a woman's voice.

"So how about you both come to us for dinner tomorrow? I want to get to know Bella better," I could hear the smile behind Esme's voice. I smiled and nodded my head as Edward looked at me in question.

"Sure, we'll be there. Ok, mom Bella's awake now, I love you and we'll see you both tomorrow," he says as he twirls a loose strand of my hair.

"Ok sweetheart, give her my love ok? Love you." They said their goodbyes and the line went dead. Edward placed his phone on the desk and then leaned back in his chair and gazed at me.

"How are you feeling?" His velvet voice was gentle as he spoke.

"Good, I'm starving though. Should we go out for dinner? We're running out of food here."

"Yeah sounds good to me and sorry about that, I've been too busy to stock up and I usually just eat whilst I'm out. Let me go get changed and we can head out. I know just the place," He smirks as he pats my ass and I get off him. He grabs my hand as he walks us to the bedroom. I didn't exactly pack a lot of clothes so I put my jeans back on and dove into his walk-in wardrobe. I fished out one of his dark grey sweatshirts I eyed up earlier and slipped it over my bralette. I grabbed my chucks out of my bag and put them on too. I just hope wherever he's taking me will be casual.

I left my hair as it was but applied light makeup to my eyes to make me look a little more alert and put together.

"You have no idea what it does to me when you wear my clothes," his close proximity caught me off guard but I melted into him as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"This thing is huge on me but my god is it comfortable. Do you mind if we swing by the house so I can pick up a few more bits? I need my laptop as well as some more clothes," I asked as he swayed us from side to side, dropping random kisses on the back of my head and down my neck.

"Sure angel, anything you want," his voice was husky as his hands sneaked beneath the sweatshirt and trailed up my waist, his thumb brushing under my breasts as his hands roamed. I sighed in content. I knew I overreacted earlier on the phone and we didn't even manage to actually talk about it. It was stupid of me to think he would cheat on me. I don't know why all this doubt crept up on me. I think being here is just putting me on edge.

"As much as I'm loving your hands on my body, we need to get a move on otherwise we won't leave at all," I whispered, not wanting to disturb the bubble we once again found ourselves in.

"Mmhm, I know…I just can't get enough of you. You're like a magnet, I'm instantly drawn to you," he said against my ear, his lips brushing against my lobe. Heat sored through me as my flesh pebbled and my nipples tightened. I moaned as he brought me flush against his front. I could feel his erection against my ass and I was so close to saying fuck it but then my stomach grumbled embarrassingly loud, and the spell was broken. Edward chuckled and pulled away.

"Ok, ok I get it- let's go feed the monster inside you," his laugh was so carefree and it made me smile. For a moment I wondered whether our life will ever be so carefree, with nothing to worry about and no unknown threat hanging over us. For a split second, I wondered whether Edward would actually walk away from the Mob life, but it wasn't something I'd ever make him do. We had a long road ahead of us, and we were still getting to know each other. He hasn't tried to change me, and I would never dream of trying to change who he is.

Because he is perfect for me.


	14. Chapter 14

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 14**

_For a split second, I wondered whether Edward would actually walk away from the Mob life, but it wasn't something I'd ever make him do. We had a long road ahead of us, and we were still getting to know each other. He hasn't tried to change me, and I would never dream of trying to change who he is. _

_Because he is perfect for me._

As we walked down the back-entrance hallway, I moved in closer to Edward and grabbed his hand. Felix was still stood there guarding the door and some girl was shamelessly flirting with him.

His head shot up and he looked slightly confused at my presence "Mr. Cullen, Isabella…" it looked like he wanted to say more and I felt Edward tense beside me when he finally heard Felix address me. I hoped and prayed Edward didn't give anything away because I didn't want Felix to become suspicious.

"Mr. Cullen, it's been a while…" the floozy chick said as she eyed him up.

_Oh hell no._

I willed myself to stay calm, I didn't want to think about whether Edward had tapped that. It would do us no good if I reacted the way I wanted to, which was to slip my arm around Edward's back and pull out his gun.

"Irina." Was the only thing he said but his voice sounded like a warning. I did my best and ignored her as she kept eye-fucking him. I moved in front of Edward and then turned and faced him- walking backward and still holding onto his hand. His attention was back on me and I smirked as I bit my bottom lip.

"Mmm baby come on let's go, the sooner we go the sooner we can come back here and finish what we started," I put on my most sultry voice and looked up at him from beneath my lashes. I watched the smirk appear on his handsome face, replacing the scowl he directed at the floozy moments ago.

"Baby you're in so much trouble." He remarked as we ignored our audience and stepped out into the chilly night.

"Maybe I'll see you later Mr. Cullen," o_h no she didn't just fucking say that._

I swear I growled as I whipped around and faced her.

"I don't fucking think so sweetheart. He doesn't sleep with the help," she glared at me and was about to say something back but shut her trap when Edward started laughing.

"Come on my little spitfire, we've gotta get going," he tugged on my hand and I moved closer to him, sliding my arm inside his leather jacket and around his back, my hand rested on his gun and I gave it a slight tug to let him know I wasn't playing. I hope for her sake she's smart enough to stay quiet.

He laughed again and this time I joined in. _God, we can't go anywhere without causing trouble it seems._ It definitely made life more exciting.

Edward opened the car door for me and I jumped in, rubbing my hands together to warm them up a little as the inside of the car was cold. Edward ran around the front and got in, peeling out of the alley and towards my house.

"So, who's Irina?" I asked and watched Edward's face.

"She's in charge of bookings. She mainly handles the VIP area. And you're right, I don't fuck the help, Bella. You definitely don't need to worry about that. I've never touched the girls that work for me. It gets too messy and complicated. My uncle Peter used to go through ring girls like underwear. As soon as he slept with one, they got attached and then he had to let them go only to replace them and repeat it all over again. He got quite the name for himself come to think of it," there was a look of disgust along with amusement on his face.

"Used to? I take it he learned his lesson then?" I had to laugh at the ridiculousness of it.

"Yeah, he stopped when one of the girls took a shot at him when he was about to let her go. Crazy bastard fell in love with her. Charlotte's great though, I think you'd like her. They're expecting their 5th child now. She said she will castrate him after the first one but I guess she didn't follow through," he threw his head back as he laughed. The tendons in his neck were deliciously stretched and I wanted to lick him.

_God, what was it with me wanting to lick him every time we're in this car?_

His beauty took my breath away sometimes. Esme and Carlisle made one stunning specimen of a man. It made me wonder what our kids would look like.

I looked away from him and freaked out. My crazy has reached a new level if I'm thinking about kids. They've never been high on my priority list; they were actually at the bottom end of it.

"What are you thinking about?" I nearly gave myself whiplash with how quickly my head turned to face him.

"Is that something you want?" The question was out of my lips before I could think.

"What? Kids?" he asked and I nodded. He didn't answer straight away and I was starting to worry a little, I watched as his eyebrows knitted together as he pondered my question. I don't know why, but I was afraid to hear what he had to say. Could I change my mind if it's something he wanted soon? Could I really see us starting a family right now? I don't think I could. Not yet anyway.

"Is it something you want?" o_h no, buddy you first._

"I asked first. Just tell me, Edward," I countered, it was like ripping a band aid off.

"Yes. Eventually…definitely not right now. I can't imagine bringing another person into this life. I don't even know if I'd be able to look after someone who solely relies on you. I love kids, don't get me wrong, but I can usually just give them back. Shit, I don't know sweetheart. There's still so much I want to do, so much I want to achieve. Kids aren't high on my priority list right now," I wanted to kiss him to death as he rambled on.

"Ohthankgod!" Accidently slipped out from my lips and I covered my mouth with my hand. I saw a smile creep up on his face as he kept darting his eyes towards me and then back on the road.

"I take it we're on the same page then?" He smirked.

"God yes! Like you, kids aren't high on my priority list. I'm definitely not ready. Is it something I want in the future? Sure, but I'm happy with my life now. I want to travel and see the world. I want to live a little and not be tied down to motherhood. I applaud all the women who do it, but it's not for me…not yet anyway," I say as he grabs my hand and brings it up to his lips. My heart has eventually stopped trying to beat out of my chest and I breathed a little easier knowing we were definitely on the same page.

"I love you," he simply said and I melted. I'll never get tired of hearing him say those 3 little words.

"I love you too handsome," I brought the hand that was still holding mine to my lips this time and left a lingering kiss on his knuckles, just like I did back on the couch.

He pulled down the street to my house and parked the car. I undid my seatbelt and turned my body to face him. "Do you want to come up with me?" I asked and smiled at his lazy grin.

"Sure," he replied and moved to open his door but something caught his attention and he stopped. I turned to see what he was looking at and the only thing I could see was a parked car a few houses down from mine. I squinted a little and realized someone was sitting in it. Their face was covered by the street light but I recognized the car instantly.

"Shit," I mumbled and Edward's piercing eyes shot to me.

"Who is that?" He demanded.

"Michael," I whispered. What on earth is he doing here? It would be creepy for a professor to be near the frat and sorority houses this late in the night but it was even creepier knowing it was Newton parked conveniently near my house.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him!" Edward seethed and took his gun out.

"Baby don't! You can't go around shooting people!" I tried to reason with him but he was past listening at this point as Michael just sat there, watching us.

"Oh like you didn't want to shoot Irina back at the club?" His voice rose as he continued to glare at Newton. I didn't fire back this time like I normally would, there was no way of talking him out of it when he was spot on about my reaction to Irina.

"Do you think he's the one who sent the flowers?" I asked instead.

"He doesn't know me. He wouldn't know where I live or the fact that you're staying there," he countered but something didn't add up. Why would he be sat outside my house unless he was there waiting for me to come back?

"Let's get out of the car and see what he does. If he's still here by the time we come back out then you can go and speak to him," I tried to compromise knowing full well that Edward wouldn't just leave it. He gave me a curt nod and stepped out of the car. I moved to open my door whilst keeping my eyes on Michael who continued to sit in his car watching us.

Edward was next to me in an instant and as my feet hit the pavement, he pushed me against the car and captured my lips in a claiming kiss like in some sort of pissing contest. I tried to catch up and match his tempo but he was too tense beside me, too rough as he plunged his tongue inside my mouth. Something like this would usually turn me on but I was not comfortable with being watched. I squeezed Edward's arm in a warning and he significantly slowed down. He moved his hands to cradle my face. I kept my hands on his forearms as he began to slowly caress my tongue with his, slowly coming back to me. He rested his forehead on mine as he pulled away, his breathing heavy. Edward shot a quick glance at Newton and then grabbed my hand as he led me towards the house. I didn't dare glance that way though.

When I unlocked the door and we stepped inside, I was greeted by catcalls and whistles from some of the girls that were hanging around in the living room. I laughed at their reaction to Edward and then turned to face them.

"Ladies, this is Edward, Edward, these are the ladies," I snickered at his nod in their direction but he quickly shot his gaze to the stairs. "Do you want to wait for me down here or are you coming up?" I questioned.

"There's no way in hell I'm staying down here with them. They'll eat me alive princess," he smirked and motioned towards the stares again. I laughed as I tugged on his hand and we made our way up.

The closer we got to the top the louder the noises were from some of the bedrooms. It was easy to guess what was happening behind some of the closed doors. I take it the girls took advantage of Mother Hen not being here. Rose didn't always approve of the girls bringing guys back to the house, even though Emmett has spent the night here more than once, and Alice was constantly sneaking guys out. But I guess my girls at least had the decency to not make it obvious.

"They sound like the girls in porn," Edward commented and I couldn't help but laugh. Yeah, the noise coming from Lauren's room was disturbing. How does that not give her a headache?

I tried to tune it out as we walked over to my bedroom door. My room was just as we left it and I was glad to see no one was using it for a sex fest. Edward walked over to my window and crossed his arms as he glared out. His reflection was one of pure sexual ferocity. I almost wanted to pounce on him and finally have him in my bedroom, naked and making me scream out his name.

Once I was done admiring his physique, I looked back up to his face and noticed that he was looking at me through the reflection in the window. One of his eyebrows was quirked up as he smirked back at me. I simply shook my head and walked into my bathroom to grab some of my toiletries. I was due on any day now so I made sure to pack a few necessities for when the time came. It was shitty timing, to be honest, but better late than pregnant was the moto in this house.

I threw everything into my travel bag and then walked back out and opened my wardrobe where I grabbed a few more dresses and tops. From my dresser, I grabbed my underwear with a few saucy numbers that I was sure Edward will appreciate. More tops, jeans as well as gym stuff. If I was going to be cooped up inside the penthouse, I may as well use my time wisely. When it came to footwear, I made sure to pack some more heels, flat shoes as well as sneakers. I walked over to my desk and grabbed my laptop and charger, and a few of my books for classes. Giving my room and Edward another glance, I think I've got everything I needed.

"Well that was quick," Edward commented as he turned to face me. I shrugged and walked over to him.

"If I've forgotten anything, I can just buy it and get it delivered to yours," I said as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I leaned back and watched as he gazed around my room, smiling when his eyes landed on my wall that was covered in pictures. I turned so I could see what he's seeing and walked closer to it. The entire wall held most if not all of my best memories.

They were snaps of holidays with the girls, parties, drunken debauchery, fancy dress and a couple with some of the guys I've dated, there were also a few of when I was younger and my parents would take me away. There was a picture of me when I was 4, sitting on top of dad's shoulders in Disneyland.

I never went through any awkward stages as I was growing up, unlike Alice who had been a goth at one point. My look used to be quite preppy when I was in high school and then morphed into the girl next door according to Rose.

Edward's hand reached over my shoulder and he grabbed the picture of me when I was probably 5. I was wearing a tutu-like skirt, cowgirl boots, and a little white t-shirt that had 'Princess' written across it. I was sitting on a bench in the park and eating ice cream. I had ice cream all over my mouth and the biggest smile on my face as I was looking to my right at someone. Whoever was there was cropped out and you could only see their outstretched arm that rested on the back of the bench. They wore a light blue sweater and a cuff on his wrist. You couldn't make out what it was in the picture but Edward took it off my wall and brought it closer to him.

"What is it?" I asked.

"That's dad. This must be from one of your ice cream outings you spoke about. See that cuff on his wrist? I have the same one back home; it has the family crest on it. All the Cullen men have one and the women are gifted with pendants once they marry a Cullen. My moms is a locket and she has a picture of dad and me inside it," he smiled as he continued to look at it.

"Do you mind if we take it? I want dad to see it," he looked so excited at that moment, how could I say no? I nodded and beamed up at him. Glad to see the tension gone from his features. For now, at least.

At that moment, both of our stomachs growled and Edward laughed. The sound was so rich and I just wanted to soak it all up. This whole day has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me and I was just glad to get lost to the sound of his laughter.

"Come on big guy, let's go eat," I grabbed my school bag whilst Edward grabbed the other 2 bags with all my stuff in.

As I stepped out, I heard a door open on my right and I was surprised to see the person coming out of it.

"Bella there you are! I was hoping to catch you," Tyler said as he made his way towards me, looking rumpled and his shirt was buttoned crookedly. Didn't need to guess what he was doing. Looked like he was working his way through the girls in this house. He was one of the guys I regretted sleeping with. But I was horny that night and he was around so…

"In Lauren's room?" I teased. "Having fun?" I smirked as I eyed his appearance. He was a good-looking guy and he knew it. He was also very shallow, but as I said, I was horny and he was around.

He stopped mid-step when Edward appeared behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know my man was scowling at Tyler.

"Hey man, I'm Tyler" he stretched his hand out for Edward to shake but quickly put it down when he realized Edward wasn't going to shake it.

"Good for you. Baby come on let's go, the sooner we go the sooner we can go back home and finish what we started," he threw my words back at me as he moved even closer behind me. I felt his erection against my ass and a small moan escaped me. I knew he was marking his territory again but there was no need. Tyler was so two years ago and not even that great in bed, I had to finish myself off once he left.

"Hey, maybe we can go grab a drink when you're back and catch up, you know, talk about the good old days," he must have a death wish.

"Not much to talk about though is there Tyler…" I left it at that, hoping he would get the message.

And then he did something even more stupid when he reached up and tried to touch a loose strand of my hair. Edward moved in front of me and dropped my bags by his feet as he blocked Tyler's view of me.

"You're dumber than you look. Try and touch her, I fucking dare you," Edward growled and I had to rub my legs together for some much-needed friction from the sound of his voice.

"Woah calm down bro, Bella and I go way back, she may have mentioned me," Ok he really is as dumb as he looks.

"Yeah she did, said you wouldn't be able to find a girl's clit if they drew you a map…bro. Now, how about you step the fuck back and forget all about Bella. She's not interested, trust me," Edward's anger was hanging on by a thread at this point. There was silence for a moment as no one said another word but we continued to stand there on the landing. And then we heard Lauren's porn worthy screams again. Looks like Tyler still can't finish a girl off. I laughed at the thought and laughed even harder when Tyler's eyes bugged out as he glanced towards Lauren's room.

"I guess some things never change," I mumbled but they both heard me and Edward snorted, understanding what I meant. Tyler on the other hand looked furious.

I was getting bored with this now so I moved beside Edward and cocked my head to the stairs indicating I was ready to leave. He gave me a curt nod and looked back at Tyler who was now scowling at me but I wasn't paying him any attention. Edward reached down and grabbed my bags again and then barged past Tyler who stumbled back at the contact.

We made our way down the stairs and I snickered when Lauren walked out of her room and noticed Tyler was there. "Oh, you're still here…erm, I was just…oh baby I just had to come again as I couldn't stop thinking about us," Edward looked disgusted which made me laugh even harder. Lauren was the biggest slut in this house and she flaunted it. She had pictures of guys she bedded on her wall as trophies. The pictures were of their dicks…she claims she knows which body part belongs to which guy and even Alice was able to name a few.

We didn't stick around to find out how that ended as we walked out of the house and made our way back to Edward's car. He placed my bags behind my seat again and then moved to open my door. I had forgotten all about Michael until I glanced up and saw that he was still there. _Shit_, Edward was already pissed, there was no way he was going to leave it alone again, no matter what I said.

He shot me an exasperated look, daring me to stop him but I didn't bother. Clearly Michael was here for a reason. I just hoped Edward will be able to find out why.

"Stay in the car Isabella," he demanded and I simply nodded as he slammed my car door shut. I wasn't going to fight him even though I was itching to find out why the hell Newton was there.

I watched Edward's demeanor completely change, it was like a mask slipped over his face. His posture straightened and his hands clenched into fists as he stepped off the pavement and walked over to the parked car. It was still hard to see Michael's face but I was surprised he hasn't driven off which makes me believe he wanted Edward to come over. I panicked a little as I noticed him shift, for all I know he's got a gun and could pull it out as soon as Edward got there. Edward was standing next to his window now and I watched it roll down. I watched as Edward's hands slapped down on the top of the car and Michael jumped ever so slightly. I would have missed it if I wasn't paying so much attention to him. But I couldn't tear my eyes away from the murderous angel that leaned down so he could be face to face with him.

I obviously couldn't hear what was being said but I watched as Edward's head kept turning to look at me. Without realizing it, my hand was on the door handle ready to pull it at any given moment. Whilst keeping my eyes on them, I reached over to the glove compartment and was glad to see Edward had a gun there. I was surprised to find a Glock similar to the one I used in Sam's shooting range except this one had a silencer attached to it. The brief moment that my eyes looked down, I instantly heard raised voices and found Michael out of his car with Edward's forearm pressing down on his throat. I stopped breathing as Newton turned to look at me but Edward sneered something at him and turned his face back to him. I watched him claw at Edward's arm but it was futile.

I was warring with myself whether I should get out and go over there. The gun felt heavy in my hand as I pondered what I should do. I then watched Edward reach back and pull his gun out and point it at Newton's head.

"Oh shit!" without a second thought, I opened the car door and stepped down. The sound must have alerted them both because they turned to look at me but once again Edward said something to him and Michael turned away. As soon as I stepped off the pavement Edward moved back and Michael scrambled to get into his car. I was halfway there before Edward stepped aside and Mike started the car up and sped away, tires screeching as he went. I stopped walking when Edward put his gun away and made his way over to me.

"What the fuck was that all about?" I demanded to know.

"I'll tell you in the car. Why the hell didn't you stay in there?" he asked, his face still hard as I watched his chest rise and fall with every quick breath he took.

"I was worried about you! I didn't know whether he was hiding a gun in the car. Why he stuck around like he wanted you to come over. These crazy scenarios kept running through my head and I needed to make sure you were ok-" I went on to say but stopped when he was inches away from me, towering over me more than usual. His rage was palpable but I was confident it wasn't exactly directed at me. There was a fire in his eyes, a fire I was very familiar with now.

He grabbed me by the ass and lifted me up. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck as he carried me back to the car. Instead of opening my passenger door, he opened the back door and maneuvered us inside, with me still clinging on to him.

He leaned over and shut the door and then his lips were on me in a flash. This kiss was as hungry as the one he gave me when we first got here, but this time my own hunger matched his. He reached down between us and undid the button on my jeans and lowered the zipper down. His fingers were met with my slick pussy and he roughly played with my clit before sinking two of his delicious fingers inside me. I tried to carry on kissing him but it was becoming impossible as I couldn't stop the moans coming out of me. His lips dragged up to my ear as he kissed and licked me whilst pumping his fingers into me, hitting that g-spot with every stroke. I wanted to reciprocate as I reached over to the buttons on his jeans but he shook his head.

"Don't. Just you Bella…I can't…" he trailed off as his pace picked up. His thumb swept over my clit and I bucked my hips at the contact. I was pulling at the hair on the back of his head and he groaned in response. I ground myself against him, trying to give him some sort of friction because I didn't want to fall on my own. I took great pleasure in watching Edward come undone with me. There was always something so raw about seeing him cum and knowing that I gave him that release.

I wasn't going to last much longer though, especially when his hooded eyes met mine. His mouth was slightly open as I breathed in his air and I was lost at the sight of him.

"Cum on my fingers Bella, I know you are close sweetheart, I can feel it, feel your pussy clenching. If it was my cock fucking you right now, just know I would be cumming so fucking hard inside you," he panted as I rode his hand now. My own movements were frantic as I was holding on by a thread.

"Let go Isabella," my name dripped from his lips and I came undone, screaming his name into the tight confines of the car. His fingers were so slick inside me as I rode out my release it was almost embarrassing. But how could I be embarrassed when I watched him pull his fingers out of me and put them in his mouth, licking it all up. His head dropped back and he closed his eyes as he savored me. It was so hot to watch, I pulled his hand away from his mouth and put the fingers into mine, still tasting both myself and him on them. Edward's mouth opened in surprise but then that sexy smirk appeared as we watched each other.

"I don't think I'll ever get enough of you," he said as I release his fingers with a loud pop.

"Good, I don't ever want you to," I said as I rested my back against the back of the driver seat.

We didn't say anything for a while and just sat there. But once again, Edward's phone began to ring and I moved my leg so he could get it out of his pocket. His eyebrows knitted together as he looked at the caller ID.

"Jasper?"

"Edward, Alec spilled. We had to take care of him though, little shit couldn't be trusted to not rat us out to Felix. Where are you? I'm on my way to your penthouse with Alice." Jasper said and I could hear her giggling in the background.

"Bella and I are on our way to Nonna's, why don't you two meet us there?" Edward said and then met my eyes, reaching up and stroking my cheek with his thumb in a loving gesture.

"Yeah ok, we'll see you in 20," he said and then the call ended.

"What's Nonna's?" I asked. He smirked at me.

"You'll see." Was the only thing he said before he opened the car door and scooted us out whilst I held on to him.

Edward set me down and gave me a light peck on the lips as I fastened up my jeans and he walked us over to my side of the car and opened my door for me. I thanked him and strapped in once I was seated. He made his way over to his side but didn't get in as he looked back out to my house. I turned to see what he was looking at and noticed Tyler coming out with his arm slung around Lauren's shoulders.

I just shook my head and grabbed my phone out. Seeing messages from both my girls as well as my mother, but I ignored that one.

Edward finally got in the car and started it up.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Always baby." I teased back as he revved the engine and sped away from my house, hopefully to a place that had food.


	15. Chapter 15

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 15 **

_He made his way over to his side but didn't get in as he looked back out to my house. I turned to see what he was looking at and noticed Tyler coming out with his arm slung around Lauren's shoulders. _

_I just shook my head and grabbed my phone out. Seeing messages from both my girls as well as my mother, but I ignored that one._

_Edward finally got in the car and started it up. _

"_You ready?" he asked._

"_Always baby." I teased back as he revved the engine and sped away from my house, hopefully to a place that had food. _

The drive to Nonna's didn't take long, I have no idea how I didn't know about this place seeing as it was so close to the house. Edward parked right outside the entrance and I didn't wait for him to open my door before I got out of the car. From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward shake his head but he smiled as he looked up at the little restaurant's window. There were only a few people sat inside having dinner. He took hold of my hand and led me inside.

My mouth watered at the scent once we stepped through. A delicate little bell rang as the door opened and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I took in my surroundings. It had such a homey feel to it, decorated in warm yellows and oranges. It was quite small with tables scattered here and there, seating various amounts of people. Before we could take another step, I quickly moved aside as a short portly lady with white hair threw her arms around Edward's waist and squealed in delight.

"Edward Anthony!" She exclaimed as he bent low and kissed her plump cheek. My face was beginning to hurt with how big my smile was as I watched them, obviously Edward knew her well and probably came here often.

"Nonna, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Isabella, baby this is Nonna, she used to look after me when I was younger," I could see the love and respect he held for this woman and my heart warmed watching them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Nonna," I said and shifted a little as she assessed me. Her eyes bore into mine and with a nod of her head, she moved away from Edward and enveloped me in her motherly arms.

"Thank you thank you thank you," she whispered as I leaned down to hug her back. I wasn't quite sure what she was thanking me for but as we moved apart, her eyes were rimmed with unshed tears.

"Oh Nonna please don't, you're causing a scene," Edward teased as he looked at us. Without even turning to look at him, she slapped his chest with the back of her hand and told him to hush. I think I'm in love with his woman.

I threw my head back and laughed, I was positive Nonna knew all sorts of stories from when Edward was little.

"You brought him back, thank you, sweetheart, thank you for bringing me my boy back. I feared he will be living this life alone, but look at how happy he is, and it looks like it's all thanks to you Isabella," I wasn't sure what to say to that so I just nodded and kissed her cheek, just like Edward did. She lovingly patted my cheek and then turned back to Edward.

"Your table is free as always, are those boys of yours coming too? If so, I need to put more meat on the grill if Emmett is coming, god knows that boy could eat everything on my menu!" She snorted and wrapped her arms around Edward again, squeezing him for good measure.

"Are you eating? You're awfully thin Edward. Moved out of you Mommas house, did you?" She snarked and tutted, shaking her head.

"Yeah Nonna I'm eating, you know I got to keep fit, can't go around fighting bad guys if I'm a fat shit. And only Jasper is coming with his fiancé," Edward retorted back and I smiled at the cheeky glint in his eyes as he said fiancé, like he was snitching on his friend.

"Fiancé? Jasper? Jasper has a fiancé? Oh, sweet baby Jesus it's not that whore Maria, is it? I can hide him if he needs to escape! I knew that hussy was going to get him trapped!" She rambled on and I was laughing so much I thought I was going to wet myself. God, I wish I had Nonna growing up, maybe my childhood would have turned out differently. Not that my parents were not loving, but they were never home long enough to spend time with me. Like I've told Edward, I've gone through quite a few nannies growing up.

"No it's not Maria, her name is Alice, Alice and Bella are in the same sorority with Rosalie, you remember Rosalie right?" He spoke slowly like she was senile whilst trying not to laugh. She was quick, if I wasn't paying so much attention, I would have missed her clipping him around the ear for acting like a fool, which only made me laugh harder.

"If she's anything like Isabella then I'm sure she's a lovely girl. And of course I remember Rosalie you little shit," she retorted and laughed at his innocent grin.

"Ok you two, Edward show Isabella to your table and I'll have Tony come over and take your orders in a moment," she scurried away, stopping at one of the occupied tables, I smiled as I watched her interact with them, making them laugh at something.

"I love her. She's an absolute gem, do you think she would adopt me?" I teased as he draped his arm around my shoulders and led me over to a table in the corner that faced the whole restaurant.

"I'm sure she would if you ask. She's always been such a huge part of my life. Dad and I helped her set up this little business once I grew out of needing a nanny. She makes the most delicious home-made dishes, you will never want to eat anywhere else after you've tasted her food," he pulled my chair out for me and kissed the top of my head once I was seated.

I found myself taking a sweep of the place as Edward sat down, almost copying his actions in a public place. Of course, I didn't know any of the faces that were there but it looked like Edward seem to know them, as they gave him an acknowledging nod in greeting whilst he did the same back.

I've been meaning to ask Edward what the note said that came with the flowers. I thought that now would be the perfect time before we would be joined by Jasper and Alice.

"What did the note say, Edward?" His carefree expression changed as his eyes shot to mine instantly.

"It was directed at me," _come again?_

"What do you mean? I thought they were for me?" I questioned. What the hell is going on?

"They were for you, but the note was for me," he hedged and I was still none the wiser.

"Ok, so what did the note say?" It was like pulling teeth all of a sudden. I don't understand why he wouldn't just tell me.

"It's nothing I can't take care of."

"That's not what I asked. We're in this together remember?" I tried to keep my voice calm but his avoidance was making me uneasy. Were we in danger? I rested my elbows on the table with my arms up, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. I then felt Edward's hand on mine as he gently pried them out from my hair and clasped them.

I felt something drop in my palm and I quickly snatched it up and held it tightly. With another quick glance around the place, making sure no one is paying us any attention, I quickly opened the crumpled note.

'_She's a beautiful girl Cullen, would be a shame if something were to happened to her._'

A cold shiver ran through my body as I read and reread those words. I turned the card over to see if there was a name but there was nothing else but the message.

I scrunched up the note again and put it in my jean pocket. It felt like it was burning a hole through the fabric as it stayed there. I had so many questions. Questions I was afraid to have the answers to. But before I could form any words, our waiter, who I assume is Tony, made his way over to our table to take our orders.

"Hey man, long time no see. How you been?" Tony looked around our age, he had jet black hair and arms covered in tattoos, there were a few going up to his neck from what I could see. He wore black skinny jeans, black pair of Dr. Martens, and an old band tee with one of those small aprons around his waist. He had an easy smile and looked genuinely happy to see Edward.

"Tone, I've been good man, I'd like you to meet my girl Bella, baby this is Nonna's grandson Tony. Nonna used to bring him with her when he would stay over during the summer," I did my best to push back my worries from earlier and stretched my hand out for Tony to shake. He took hold of it and brought it to his lips, I laughed when Edward reached over and punched his arm.

"Hands off fucker," he teased and Tony just winked at me before trying to jab Edward back. They were behaving like a couple of teenagers and it was nice to be a little distracted from the shit storm that's been going on today.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella. Edward never brings a girl around, you must be something special," Tony said as he tried to jump out of the way from another hit, but there wasn't much room for him to move in so he got socked in the leg either way.

"Nice to meet you too," I said as I laughed at the two of them.

"What's it gonna be guys?" He took the pen that was behind his ear and flipped open a little note pad, looking at me to go first.

"Oh erm I haven't had a chance to look at the menu yet, Edward what would you recommend?" I stated as I looked at a happy and relaxed Edward, there was a glint in his eye as I asked the question.

"Definitely the pot roast, I swear angel you've never tasted anything like it. Actually, Tony make that two," Edward sat back and beamed at me as Tony jotted our orders down.

"And to drink?"

"Nothing for me," I answered with a gentle smile, even though something strong sounded good right about now. I knew getting wasted wasn't going to help me. I wanted to keep a clear head because there was still a lot we had to discuss.

"Just get us a jug of water Tone," Edward said as he kept his eyes on me. Tony wrote everything down and was about to walk away when the door burst open and Alice and Jasper made their way over to us. Jasper greeted Tony with a fist bump and glanced around the room just like Edward before pulling a chair out for Alice, who quickly embraced me before sitting down.

"Alice this is Tony, his Nonna runs this joint, Tony this is my fiancé Alice," Jasper introduced them and Tony kissed the back of her hand just like he had mine.

"Damn, where did you guys find these girls? Is there some sort of warehouse where they're breeding them?" He joked and Edward cracked up.

"Actually, there's a whole house full of them," Edward joked and I slapped his chest before rolling my eyes at his foolishness. He grabbed my hand and left a lingering kiss on the back of it. The feeling made me tingle all over.

"Bella and I are in the same sorority, so yeah there is actually a full house of girls," Tony just stared at Alice wide-eyed. He held out his little notepad towards her, he still hasn't blinked by the way, and his next words had us all howling with laughter.

"Can you write down the address?" Before we knew it, Tony flinched like he was hit and I notice Nonna standing behind him with her arm raised like she was going to strike again, and that only made us laugh harder.

"I've been standing in the kitchen for an hour now waiting for their orders kid, what on earth is taking you so long?" She bustled and the guys gave Tony shit for it. Nonna walked around our table and stood behind Alice and I. She placed her motherly hands on our shoulders and just watched the boys being boys. I made introductions and Alice fell in love with her just like I have. Nonna congratulated them both on their engagement with a hug and a kiss to Alice and a clip round the ear for Jasper, making him promise to treat her right and do whatever she says because a wife knows best. Edward and Tony then began teasing Jasper who took it in stride. It was clear to see how much he actually loved Alice and I was so happy for my best friend.

Once all the teasing stopped and their orders were taken, we were left alone. I watched as Edward and Jasper shared a look before leaning in closer, Alice and I followed suit so we can hear better.

"Alec said Felix used to run with Hunter's little gang and they still kept in touch. He said Hunter saw you both that day at the Steakhouse and got back in contact with Felix to get some dirt. Alec also said that Felix has to report every time you bring Bella back to your place and to keep tabs on when you leave. He doesn't know what Hunter is planning, said that Felix wouldn't tell him any more than that," Jasper went on to tell Edward about the cleanup but that was when I stopped listening. I didn't know anyone called Hunter or why the hell he was so interested in me.

I felt a hand on my thigh and it made me jump ever so slightly.

I looked over to Edward and he looked concerned, he lifted his hand up but before he could move it, I grasped it in both of mine and held on to him like a lifeline. I could feel Alice's gaze on me but I was too focused on Edward. This is where I needed his guidance, this was his playing field.

I knew he would know what to do.

"Bella?" I knew what he was asking.

"I'm not going anywhere baby," I whispered as I brought his clasped hand up to my lips.

I felt Alice's hand rub soothing circles on my back and I was glad she was here, my girls always made me feel like I could concur the world.

"Isn't it dangerous to keep Bella at your place then Edward?" Alice asked.

"There's no way for them to gain access to my penthouse without my fingerprint. The system I had installed is foolproof, Jasper even tried to get a print off the scanner to duplicate it but the system wouldn't accept it. I wouldn't risk her life like that if I knew she wasn't safe. Until Bella tells me otherwise, we'll stay there and keep an eye out on Felix," Edward remained calm and collected as he spoke to her. I never even thought about staying anywhere else. There was no way in hell I want to move back to the sorority house, especially with Michael Newton hanging around. If Edward said his place is safe, then I trust him.

Everyone was quiet on the table, I felt Edward's eyes on me and when I looked up to meet them, he mouthed _I love you_. I felt my heart skip a beat at the sincerity in his eyes. It made me feel like I could get through anything with him by my side. I mouthed it back as Tony made his way over to us with our food in his hands.

The aroma that surrounded our table was amazing, I couldn't wait to dig in and neither could my stomach as it growled and made everyone around me laugh. Especially Edward, as it has made itself known since I woke up from my nap earlier. We didn't waste time and dug in; my taste buds exploded as I took the first bite. A loud moan escaped from my lips and Edward smirked as he watched me. Only sex and food elicited that sort of sound from me and I didn't care that now Jasper was privy to it too. Alice was used to hearing me moan like that when I eat food and now Edward has heard it both ways.

Conversation around the table was flowing easy and light as we ate. The boys spoke shop for a little bit whilst Alice updated me on some of the wedding planning. She was telling me about an outfit she thought would look good on me for the bachelor and bachelorette night before the wedding, promising to send me pictures of it later. She asked whether I'd heard from my dad since we last spoke and I told her about the conversation we had. She was surprised at the way my dad spoke to me and that he didn't even bother trying to call me again. I shrugged it off like it was no big deal, not really wanting to dwell deeper into it.

I also told her about what happened back at the house and bumping into Tyler. She laughed so hard she snorted which caught Edward and Jasper's attention. With a quirked eyebrow from Edward, I simply said "Tyler." His eyes narrowed but he smiled as he continued to laugh at Alice whilst Jasper just looked at her adoringly.

"I can't believe he's still hanging around! Did he seriously think you were going to sleep with him again?" She couldn't hold in her laughter as she spoke. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head. I was very aware of Edward's scowl too. I knew he probably didn't want to be reminded again that I slept with Tyler but that was before I'd even met him. I was positive we were going to meet at least one of the girls he's slept with before. I can't guarantee how I will take it when the time comes but I probably won't be as calm about it as Edward is at the moment.

I grabbed Edward's hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze, his fingers wove between mine and he squeezed back, keeping my hand in his as Alice told Jasper who Tyler is and how unsatisfying it was to sleep with him.

Thankfully the conversation turned to their wedding soon enough and I watched as Edward relaxed significantly as he sat back and watched our friends. He suggested some clubs we should visit whilst we're there and I watched Jasper giving him knowing looks. I wondered what that was about but I watched as Alice watched them two with her eyebrows knitted together.

"Oh no you don't! Don't you dare work on our bachelor and bachelorette night! No, I'm not having it! Edward, I swear to god you better not even think about it! You can do business in your own time. This will be the night before our wedding for fuck sake!" Uh oh, Alice's inner Monica Geller was coming out and I tried hard not to laugh at Edward's shocked expression. Jasper tried his best to calm her down and reassure that it will be all pleasure and no business whilst we are out there. By this point, my whole body shook with my laughter and Edward still looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Baby I'm sure we can just go there earlier if you've got business you need to handle," I smiled reassuringly at him and he smiled back. I winked at him and he smirked back at me, beckoning me closer with his finger, he wrapped his large hand around the back of my neck and brought his lips to my ear.

"I want to fuck you at the top of the Bellagio. That's the only business I'm interested in," he gently bit down on my ear as his words caressed my whole body. I shivered at the thought of it. Him pressing me against the window as we fuck, the whole of Vegas can watch us for all I care. Just the thought of going away with him excited me. It will give us a chance to get away from all this fuckery that's been going on lately.

No Felix, no old English professors, and no Hunter, whoever the fuck he may be. Just Edward and I, celebrating our friends.

* * *

We were the last ones to leave Nonna's. Jasper and Alice left half an hour ago with promises to get together soon. I helped Nonna clear up whilst Edward helped Tony stack the chairs on top of the tables. Edward promised Nonna we'll come again and she made him swear he won't leave it this long before he visits.

Edward wanted to stay until Tony and Nonna got into Tony's car and drove off before leaving the restaurant ourselves. I loved seeing this softer side to him.

The drive back didn't take long and I was glad to see someone else was stood by the back door. Edward introduced me to Seth who greeted me with a huge smile and said it was a pleasure to meet me. I watched in amusement as Seth and Edward bumped fists before we walked over to the elevator. A complete contrast to how he handles everyone else that works for him.

"Why can't Seth be here all the time?" I almost whine as I kick my shoes off once we stepped out of the elevator.

"I wish he could but he's got a little sister he looks after. His mom died giving birth to her and their dead-beat dad washed his hands with them years ago, before Leah was even born actually. It's just the two of them now and I can't take him away from her like that, she's only 3. He works here when he can get a sitter sorted and I pay him a week's worth for one night." He shrugged it off like it was no big deal and I think I fell in love with him even more tonight.

He may be the next in line to his family's empire but he's got a huge heart, something I'm sure not a lot of people know.

"I love you," I say as I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his neck. Edward leans down and kisses me, smiling into the kiss the whole time as we just stand there.

"Let's go to bed baby," he whispers against my lips, my skin tingles at the thought of getting him naked and under me. Edward laughed at my expression and held my hand as he walked me to his bedroom, turning the lights off as we went. It felt extremely domestic and I couldn't help but smile as I got a glimpse into what our future could look like.

I watched Edward get undressed. He looked so lost in his own thoughts that he flinched slightly as I touched his arm.

"Sorry,"

"What's wrong?"

"Let's get in bed, I need to tell you about the chat I had with Newton," I couldn't believe I forgot all about it. Edward made me see stars after the whole thing happened and then there was Nonna's, the note that came with the flowers and the Alec interrogation, it simply slipped my mind.

I nodded as I walked over to the bed after quickly undressing, and got under the covers. Edward climbed in after me and we lay facing each other. He looked so serious as his eyes were fixed on my face. I reached out and grabbed his hand and brought it over to my lips. His expression softened slightly as my lips made contact with his skin. I kept his hand close to me as he sighed before speaking.

"Newton has a gambling problem. The friend he told you about- you know the one he wanted you to do the internship for, Newton owes him money and you were the bargaining chip. He was under the impression that if you slept with him, he could blackmail you with it and therefore do whatever he asked you," his face hardened even more and I couldn't speak. "He's been coming over to your house since the car wash, hoping to get you alone. My presence threw a wrench into his plan and he was under the impression he would get me out of the picture by drugging you and taking pictures of you and him in bed together," he was seething by this point.

I was stunned into silence. I tried to wrap my head around all of this and I was failing miserably. My ears were ringing and my eyes couldn't focus. I knew my breathing was labored, I could feel my chest rising and falling rapidly as I shot up in bed. I felt like I wasn't in control of my own body as I shook with every breath I tried to take. I felt Edward wrap his arms around me but I couldn't hear what he was saying, I was so lost in my own head and then I felt my body being shaken.

"Isabella! Baby look at me!" His warm hands were on my face as he rested his forehead on top of mine. I tried to focus on him but I couldn't stop picturing what could have happened to me if I didn't have Edward with me tonight.

"It's ok Bella, he will never get his hands on you. Just breathe with me, baby," I tried to focus on his voice but all these different scenarios kept going through my head.

"How can you promise me that? He still owes that guy money, he promised him me in exchange Edward. How can you say he'll never get his hands on me?" The words sounded ridiculous. _This can't be my life, surely._

"Because I'll pay whatever money he owes him plus more. I don't fucking care how much it is. No one will touch you. He's still breathing only because he said he is moving out of Chicago and going to some beat-down town in Washington," Edward kept caressing my face, trying to calm me down.

"I need a gun,"

"What the fuck for?"

"Protection Edward! You have a lot of them lying around the place, I'm sure you won't miss one if I take it," I deadpanned.

"Fuck Isabella! This is the shit I was talking about the first night we met! I knew my fucked up life will bite me in the fucking ass one day. Baby, I don't want you carrying anything. I can fucking protect you!" Edward tried to reason.

"You can't expect to be around me 24/7 Edward, don't be ridiculous. I'll just take the Glock," I tried again and I watched his anger build.

"The guns laying around as you put it, are there for a fucking reason Bella. I know where every one of those guns is in case someone tries to get in here. No matter where I am in this place, I know if I just reach out, I will have one in my hand before they take another step. You don't need to carry a fucking gun around. I know you can shoot, I've fucking watched you shoot, the thought of it makes me fucking hard still. What I don't want is for you to actually have the need to carry a fucking gun," he ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Then tomorrow morning, show me where every single one of them is. I've already found a few, just show me where the rest are so that I'm just as aware of them as you are if we're going to stay here," I tried to compromise this time. It was clear he wasn't going to let me leave the penthouse with one.

"Do you not feel safe here? Do you want to leave?" He almost looked hurt.

"I do feel safe here, but only when you're here with me. It feels like too many people know where you live. And now Felix has to report whenever we're here to some Hunter. I can't focus if I know I'm being fucking watched. I needed help when a fucking flower delivery guy showed up for crying out loud!" I threw my hands up in frustration and I watched as Edward's eyes shot to my tits as they bounced with the movement. In any other situation, I would have laughed, but I wasn't done talking.

"And speaking of Hunter, mind telling me who the fuck that is and why he's suddenly interested in me?"


	16. Chapter 16

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 16**

_"Do you not feel safe here? Do you want to leave?" He almost looked hurt._

_"I do feel safe here, but only when you're here with me. It feels like too many people know where you live. And now Felix has to report whenever we're here to some Hunter. I can't focus if I know I'm being fucking watched. I needed help when a fucking flower delivery guy showed up for crying out loud!" I threw my hands up in frustration and I watched as Edward's eyes shot to my tits as they bounced with the movement. In any other situation, I would have laughed, but I wasn't done talking._

_"And speaking of Hunter, mind telling me who the fuck that is and why he's suddenly interested in me?"_

Edward's eyes hardened at the mention of Hunter. I angled my body so that I was facing him as I sat there with my legs crossed.

"Fuck!" He exclaimed and gripped his hair in frustration.

"His father and my father used to be friends. Believe it or not, James Hunter and I used to be close too before his father died and Hunter became greedy. Dad and George- Hunter's dad, had equal shares of Chicago. They helped build the city from the ground up as their fathers did before that. Our two families were the most feared in the entire city. They ran it with an iron fist. No one dared to run any shady business with dad and George running the joint. Unless they could profit from it, they weren't interested. But George had a drug addiction, dad made him go to rehab countless times, wanting to help his friend but it was a lost cause. In the end, it was the drugs that killed George, leaving behind an angry son with no mother either," he stared off into the space behind my head as he spoke.

"My mom and dad offered to take Hunter in but after George's funeral, Hunter ran away and no one could find him. I had just graduated and my parents threw a party at their house when he turned up. He had women draped on his arms and an army of bodyguards. Dad tried to steer them into the office so they didn't cause a scene but Hunter was high when he turned up and he wasn't taking orders from anyone. He demanded dad to hand over his half of the city and everything that was owed to him, everything that belonged to his father. It's his birthright to own half of Chicago but dad wasn't about to hand it over to a kid. Especially someone who was going down the same path as his father." Edward stopped talking and finally looked at me.

I was beginning to piece it all together. If Carlisle refused to hand it over to him, it's no wonder he's interested in Edward's every move. Edward would eventually take over from Carlisle and own Chicago. It also explains why Edward doesn't want it.

"Do you see now? Do you see how dangerous it is to be associated with me? Hunter knows it will all belong to me once dad steps down. We'd be fools to think he would just accept the fact he can't take over from his father. We don't trust him. Ever since he got back, my dad has kept tabs on him. He's a ruthless fucker. The first few guys dad had shadowed him, turned up dead on my family's doorstep. Hunter is under the impression that he is untouchable. I'm simply waiting for the right moment to make my move,"

_Make his move?_

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" My voice sounded coarse.

"It means I have my own people watching Hunter. He can have his whole fucking crew watching my every step, I don't give a shit. But now that he's caught sight of you, I needed to tighten a few things. Please don't fight me on what I'm about to say next," he takes my hands in his and I'm instantly on high alert.

"Go on," I hold my breath as I wait.

"You can't go to your lectures without a bodyguard,"

_Excuse me?_

"What bodyguard?" I demand.

"The one that has been watching over you since the night I dropped you back to your house," he admitted, he had the decency to look down as he spoke.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me! Edward that's fucking ridiculous! He's going to stand out like a sore fucking thumb following me around everywhere!" He cannot be fucking serious right now.

"No he's not, may I point out that you haven't even noticed him," _oh hell no._

"BECAUSE I DON'T FUCKING LIVE MY LIFE LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER!" I exclaimed.

I regretted it instantly though.

Once again Edward looked hurt at my words. I know all he's ever told me was how dangerous it was for me to know him, to be associated with him, and seen with him. It was too late for all of that now. I'm irrevocably in love with him, it took me mere days to fall for him, and fall hard.

"It would draw too much attention to me, Edward, baby please tell me you can at least understand that. There's got to be another way," I moved closer to him and wove my fingers through his hair. I was drawn to his full lips. I wanted just a little taste. Just a moment to escape from today.

I felt adrenaline coursing through me. Any sane person would feel fear, but getting a small glimpse into Edward's world was giving me a rush. A rush I had never felt before. It was like waiting to get on a rollercoaster, the fear and excitement all mixed into one surge of adrenalin.

I timidly pressed my lips to his, gauging his reaction. I lightly swiped my tongue over his bottom lip when he didn't kiss me back. He was deep in thought before, but that got his attention. His hands wrapped in my hair as he brought me closer and plunged his tongue in my mouth. I rested my arms on his shoulders and climbed on his lap. I moved the bed covers around so that we were skin to skin. I gently rolled my hips and felt him grow beneath me.

"Baby-" he whispered.

I shook my head, "Not now, please Edward, I want you," I moaned as he began kissing my neck. I kept moving my hips over him, Edward moved his hands down to my hips and pressed me firmly against him.

"Do you feel what you do to me? I'm constantly in this state when you're around. Never in my fucking life has anyone affected me like this. Tell me that your pussy is mine," he panted out as I lifted my hips up and took him in, inch by glorious inch. I was already so wet for him. Of course it belonged to him.

"Yours Edward, only yours baby. I'll tattoo your name above it if it's what it would take," I moaned out as I moved over him.

"Don't fucking tease Bella," he groaned out. He filled me deliciously in this position. My knees gave me the support to rise up and down his thick cock, the sound of my wet pussy was the only noise in the room. For a moment we were both holding our breath and just feeling.

Edward's hands trailed up my body and he grabbed my breasts. He teased my nipples and I arched my back to give him better access as he moved his head down and bit down on my peaked nipple. I rested my hands on his outstretched legs behind me and continued to rise my hips over him.

I don't think I will ever get enough of him.

This angle made him hit places that made my body quiver. Edward leaned back as he released my nipple. His right hand moved down to where we were joined and his eyes followed, whilst his left hand moved down to my hip.

I threw my head back even further as his thumb began circling my clit. The tightening at the pit of my stomach made me increase my speed. A couple of more stokes on my clit was all it took to send me over the edge. I moaned his name as I felt him spill inside me with a groan. I brought my body back up to his as we rode out our highs. Edward's arms wrapped around me as he held me close. I buried my face in the crook of his neck as my breathing matched his.

I felt him go soft inside me but when I made the move to finally get off his lap, he tightened his hold on me.

"Don't. Not yet," he whispered and began drawing random patterns on my back. We were quiet for what felt like hours as we sat there. I didn't want to move away from him. There was so much going on in my head right now and I needed the contact from Edward to make any sense of it.

We both felt as his cum dripped down from inside me and I giggled at the feeling. I felt Edward smile against me.

"At least it's on your side," I mumbled into his shoulder and it shook as he laughed.

"I'll just have to sleep on yours then," he whispered as he turned and kissed the side of my head. I unwound myself from around him and finally got off his lap. I walked into the bathroom and cleaned up. I grabbed a new washcloth as I walked back into the bedroom and Edward stretched his arm out for the wet cloth. I undid my hair and gently shook it out as he cleaned up. I ran my fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp in the process. I closed my eyes at the feel of it and felt Edward's lips on my forehead before he walked past me and into the bathroom. I heard him take care of business and chuckled at how comfortable we were with each other already. I climbed back into bed as he flushed the toilet and heard the tap go before he stepped out from the bathroom and made his way back to bed.

He wasn't joking when he said he would just sleep on my side, he wrapped his body around mine from behind and I used his left arm as a pillow. I snuggled into him and he kissed my shoulder before telling me he loves me.

"I love you too," I mumbled back but he was already asleep. It wasn't long before my crazy dreams succumbed me.

* * *

I could feel the sun streaming on my face as I lazily stretched out in bed like a cat. My head was still resting on top of Edward's arm and I wondered how he's managed to sleep like that. He lay on his back, the sheet only covering him from his waist down. I took the time to marvel at his chest and abs. His whole body was amazingly chiseled and I wondered how he managed to keep in such good shape. I've yet to hear him say he was going to the gym; I've only ever seen him dressed casually or in a suit.

I lightly ran my fingers over his chest and watched in amusement as his morning wood made an appearance. It was a wonder to me how that didn't wake guys up. All that blood rushing to their dicks and they just carried on sleeping.

All of a sudden, I was ravenous for it. My mouth actually watered as I thought of having him in my mouth again. The feel of the soft skin on my tongue, how thick and heavy it was as I took him into the back of my throat.

I quickly glanced back up to his face to check if he was still sleeping and maneuvered myself in between his spread legs. I felt almost giddy with it, the fact that he still hasn't woken up was thrilling. I wanted the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes to be my lips wrapped around his cock. His cock lay there, hard and proud as I reached out and gently took him into my hand.

I didn't waste any time before running my tongue down his length. I watched transfixed as he grew harder and his stomach tensed ever so slightly, making his cock twitch in my hand. A small groan left his lips but he stayed sleeping. I continued to run my tongue up and down his length before I took his head into my mouth and ran my tongue over and around it, sucking it ever so gently. I instinctively moaned and heard Edward's breathing change. That was when I took him in deeper, letting my lips apply a bit more pressure as I sucked his cock.

"What the-" his voice hoarse from sleep, but he didn't manage to finish as his dick hit the back of my throat.

"Fuck…shit baby…damn what a way to wake up," he groaned and I looked up to watch his face. His mouth was slightly open as he breathed, his eyes watching my mouth work over his cock. I moaned around him again as it twitched in my mouth and Edward wrapped his hands around my hair and moved it out of the way, so he could see better.

"I wish you could see what I see right now. Your red lips wrapped around my cock, watching it slicked from your tongue. Fuck angel…ungh," he groaned as I picked up my pace and wrapped my hand tighter around him. He quickly grabbed the side of my head and gently lifted his hips up to meet my pace. I could feel myself getting wet but I wanted this to be about him. For the first time ever, I didn't feel the need to cum too. Just him. I just wanted to taste his cum on my tongue, watch as his eyes roll back and his stomach clenches.

I hollowed my cheeks in a few more times before his grip on my head tightened and he stopped breathing for a second. The feel of his hot seed hit the back of my throat made my own eyes roll back from behind my lids. Edward's cock twitched a couple more times before I heard him take in a huge breath.

I released his cock from my mouth, giving it a few gentle kisses before I rested my head on his hip. I stretched my arms up to his chest and gently ran my fingers up and down. I could feel how fast his heart was beating under my fingertips.

"Good morning," I breathed out, waiting for my own heart to calm down.

"Mmm, what a morning it's turning out to be," he said, the happiness in his voice rang out clearly. I lifted my head up so I could look at him, my own smile breaking my face as I took in his handsome face.

"What are your plans for today?" I wondered.

"Well, I planned on ravishing my girlfriend in the shower before we go out to grab breakfast, then I was going to show her where all the guns are hidden around this place. After that, I was going to do some work, but I think I'll work from home today, I want to be here with you. And we're having dinner at my parent's house tonight don't forget," I nodded as he spoke, raking my fingers through the happy trailer.

"Sounds good. I'm very interested in the ravishing as well as guns. Are you sure you want to work from home? I haven't got any classes today so I was just going to do a workout and just potter around the apartment, maybe get together with Rose. And I haven't forgotten about the dinner, I'm looking forward to seeing the house you grew up in," I beamed up at him as he gently stroked my face.

"Do you know what a turn it is knowing you're excited about guns? And yes, I'm sure, I don't need to actually go anywhere today so I can simply work from home. The thought of you doing a workout is definitely something I don't want to miss out on too. Maybe get Rose to come here, I'd feel more at ease if you didn't actually go out on your own…" he trailed off, probably trying to gauge my reaction.

From last night's conversation, I knew why he was so cautious. If I think about it, I don't need to actually go out, I'm sure I can handle her coming here. Plus, I really didn't want to argue about this again.

"Ok, I'll see what she's doing. Maybe get Alice to come too if that's alright?" I asked and he simply beamed at me, his shoulder sagging at the fact that I didn't argue about it. It made me realize I should really cut him some slack. He has a valid reason to have me followed by a bodyguard, I was finally beginning to understand it.

When we finally got out of bed, Edward threw me over his shoulder and carried me into the shower where he ravished me, just like he promised. He pressed me up against the wall, the water hitting his back as he thrust up into me, making me see stars. I was already so worked up from sucking his cock that it didn't take long for me to reach my release.

We then proceeded to wash each other with gentle caresses.

I was blow-drying my hair whilst Edward ran down to the car to retrieve the bags that I packed last night. It was strange seeing him in sweats- as it was the closest thing for him to grab to go down to the car. He conveniently forgot to throw on a top and I zoned out whilst watching him move about in nothing but sweatpants. The way his muscles rippled as he moved, it was very distracting.

Once I changed into some faux leather jeans and cream, off the shoulder sweater, I applied some light make-up and left my hair out before I deemed myself ready to go out in public. Edward did promise we'd go out for breakfast, maybe I'll be able to convince him to take us to the grocery store too. We definitely needed to stock up.

Edward sat on the couch waiting for me as I emerged from the bedroom. He was dressed in a pair of black jeans, a denim shirt and a light grey sweater on top. His perfectly messy hair and Ray-Bans completed the look when he stood up as I walked over to him. He could easily be on the cover of a magazine looking the way he does.

"You ready?" He asked, a huge smile plastered across his face as he gazed at me.

"Did you ever think about going into modeling?" I was too curious. The strangest expression crossed his face like it was the last thing he thought would come out of my mouth.

"Modelling? Me? Did you hit your head in the shower baby?" He teased me, shooting me a quick wink.

"No I'm serious, you'd make a shit tonne of money with your looks Edward."

"I already make a shit tonne of money angel. But no, I've never considered modeling. I'd end up shooting every motherfucker in the industry. Plus, I don't like having my picture taken. It almost always ends up somewhere on the internet. But I think my mom still has baby pictures of me when she wanted them done professionally," he mussed and I made a mental note to ask Esme to show them to me tonight.

I wondered whether he'd like to take a picture with me though. I wasn't big with social media so I wouldn't be posting it. But I might blow it up to poster size and hang it in his office. I snickered at the mental image. Maybe I could do a little photoshoot for him instead. Yeah, I'll need the girls to help me out with that.

"Would you take a picture with me?" The question left my lips before I could think. I seem to be doing that a lot around him. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face when he looked at me lovingly, smiled, and nodded.

"Shall we go, baby? I've definitely worked up an appetite this morning," he bit his bottom lip and it didn't take a genius to figure out where his head went. I'd be a liar if I said my mind didn't wander back to my head giving skills as well as the shower too.

"Yeah, are we driving?" I wondered, the sun looked so appealing as it streamed through the windows, but it was currently fall, so it was all very deceiving. I could definitely do with a walk if the nearest breakfast place wasn't far.

"There's a breakfast joint just a few blocks over, we can walk if you want," Edward wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on top of my head as he held me. I could feel his heartbeat with how close he held me. I inhaled his delicious scent and just marveled at how great this morning is turning out to be.

"Let's walk then," I whispered back as he nodded and we pulled apart, but not before he gave me a lingering kiss, biting my bottom lip as he pulled away. I will never get enough of his kisses.

We walked to the elevator hand in hand, it dawned on me that Felix is probably back.

"How do I act in front of Felix?" I questioned.

"Try to act the same as always. We don't need him thinking we're on to him, or know that we're keeping our own tabs on him. Ignore him or say hello, whatever you feel comfortable with angel," Edward squeezed my hand reassuringly. Once the elevator doors opened, we stepped in and I pressed on the ground button. As we stood there whilst the metal box descended, I wondered why Edward didn't just buy a house. I can understand the fact that his club is in the city, as well as this warehouse I've yet to see, but surely he doesn't want to live in a penthouse apartment his whole life. Even Emmett owned an actual house. I'd have to ask Alice where Jasper lives.

Before I could voice my musings, the elevator doors opened and we stepped out. Felix was leaning against the wall but stood up straight when he caught sight of us. I made brief eye contact with him and that stupid smirk was back on his face as he gawked at me.

"Mr. Cullen, Miss. Swan," he greeted us and I froze momentarily. How the fuck does he know my last name? Edward held my hand in a vice grip and kept on walking, giving Felix a curt nod in greeting whilst I tried to figure out how the hell he knew my last name.

Edward let go of my hand and wrapped his arm over my shoulders, bringing me in closer in the process. His lips were next to my ear when he whispered "I know Bella, don't react," I quickly composed myself and slipped on a poker face as we waited for him to open the door for us. Luckily Edward stood between us as we walked past, I don't think I could handle being any closer to Felix than I had to be.

I wound my arm around Edward's back and accidentally pinched his side as I felt the gun nestled on his back. Edward flinched ever so slightly and I looked up at him apologetically whilst he just smiled down at me.

"Always carrying baby," was all he said as we walked out of the alleyway and onto the main street. As we turned, I took a quick glance back and saw that Felix was still standing there, watching us.

The quicker he was dealt with the better in my opinion.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN- Hi guys, sorry for not posting for so long, I've had some major surgery recently so I have been recovering and the words took a while to start flowing again. I'll let you get on with this and I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 17**

_I wound my arm around Edward's back and accidentally pinched his side as I felt the gun nestled on his back. Edward flinched ever so slightly and I looked up at him apologetically whilst he just smiled down at me._

"_Always carrying baby," was all he said as we walked out of the alleyway and onto the main street. As we turned, I took a quick glance back and saw that Felix was still standing there, watching us._

_The quicker he was dealt with the better in my opinion._

Edward pulled my chair out as we were led to a small table in the corner of the diner. My back was to the room whilst Edward sat opposite me so he could have a clear view of the place. I found myself scanning the diner, as I did at Nonna's last night, getting into the habit of familiarizing myself with my surroundings.

When I turned back to look at Edward, I found him watching me with a smile on his face.

"You know you don't have to do that when you're here with me. I can and will protect you, Bella. The last thing I want is for you to be looking over your shoulder, or feel like you can't go out without worrying about being followed," there was a tone to his voice that I couldn't quite place. I grabbed hold of the hand that was resting on the table and tried to gather my thoughts before I spoke.

"I know you will keep me safe. I can't be naïve enough to think nothing will happen to me. I'm taking this Hunter's threat seriously. There's been so much that has happened lately, the flowers, my father, Mike Newton, Felix, finding out about Hunter…my head was just spinning from it all. But I also don't want to make this harder for you either. Like I said before, I want to work with you regarding this, not against you. If I need a bodyguard with me then that is fine, I'm not going to fight you about it," I said as I got a little lost in his eyes. They were so expressive as he looked at me, I could also see the relief there too, once again making me realize just how much of my safety was resting on his hands.

"So you're ok with him coming to your lectures with you?" He asked.

"I was thinking about this earlier, I don't technically need to attend any more of my classes in person for the time being. It's not like I'll be sitting the bar, so I can complete this year online and only go in if I really have to. That's the beauty of modern-day technology I guess," I shrugged, I never thought it would be possible to go to college and not need to attend the actual classes. With this being my final year, the classes were few and far between as it is, and I won't be missing out on anything either as I will still get all the assignments.

"Please don't risk your education just because you're with me now. I want you to finish your last year like you'd planned. I feel like you already had to make so many sacrifices just because we're together," Edward's face hardened as he spoke and that's when our waiter decided to come over.

We made quick on our orders and waited for the waiter to leave before we carried on talking about my education.

"Baby you know I don't want to become a lawyer. I still plan to complete this final year and graduate. What I won't be doing is sitting the bar so I can start practicing law. After that, well after that, I don't know what I'll do. I would like to do a Masters in creative writing and there are so many places I'd like to visit, so I'll probably take a year out and travel," I sat and waited to see what his reaction would be this time. Last time I told him I wanted to leave Chicago, he threw a glass at the wall.

"So you still want to leave?" His voice was somber as he gazed at me, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly.

"I want to travel Edward. I want to see the world. I just hope you can come with me," I left it at that. Ever since that dream of us on the beach somewhere, I knew I wanted Edward with me wherever I decide to go. I just wasn't sure what the protocol is in the Mob world. Is he even allowed to take a year's vacation?

"You want me to go with you?" He asked in disbelief.

"Of course I do. There's so much I want us to do together. I don't want to do any of it without you. The only thing is, are you allowed to come with me?" I finally asked.

"Allowed? Sweetheart, I don't answer to anyone. Of course I'd love to come with you." He was absolutely beaming at the idea and I couldn't help but match his smile.

"Edward I know you don't answer to anyone, but what about your dad, and your responsibilities here?" I wondered.

"Like I've told you before, dad isn't going to retire any time soon. As for my responsibilities, I trust Jasper and Emmett to handle things whilst we're away. And I'll have my phone with me. I promise I won't have it disturb our travels but I will need to keep in contact with people back here," he leaned across the table and kissed my forehead. As he sat back down, our waiter arrived with our food, and my mouth watered at the stack of pancakes in front of me.

I didn't hesitate and dug in.

I didn't even try to hold in my moans as Edward just laughed at me.

* * *

"Should we go back and grab the car and go to the store? We really need to stock up on some food," I mentioned as I slouched in my seat, rubbing my food baby absentmindedly.

"Sure, let me just settle the bill," Edward stood and moved over to where I was slouched, he lifted my chin up so he could give me a kiss and I sighed as he moved back. This really was a start to a great day. I watched as Edward chatted to the server and I couldn't help but giggle at how scared the poor guy looked.

I swear I can't take Edward anywhere.

I got up once Edward started making his way back to me. He held his hand out which I willingly grabbed hold of and wove my fingers between his. I noticed people turned to stare at us but I couldn't understand why. We looked like any other normal couple.

"Why are people staring?" I whispered as we stepped out.

"Because they know who I am," Edward whispered back teasingly. I guess the name Cullen really does mean something around here.

We leisurely made our way back to the club in comfortable silence. I was making a mental list of food to buy as I planned the meals I'd like to make us in advance.

"Do you need to go up and grab your keys?" I asked as we neared the Escalade.

"No, I grabbed them on our way out," He motioned for the passenger side but I had other ideas.

"Can I drive?" I asked.

"Can you drive?" He teased back.

"Of course I can! Well not legally anyway…" I trailed off.

"Meaning?"

"They took my license away after I was caught speeding," I huffed in annoyance. "That's what happens when I get stopped by a female officer. I couldn't flirt my way out of it."

"Are you serious?" He laughed and I punched him in the arm for laughing at me.

"It's not funny! I still have 4 months to wait until I can get my license back. My poor baby is sat locked away in storage," I whined and folded my arms in front of me, getting wound up by the situation all over again.

"Maybe some other time then gorgeous, I don't want to risk us getting stopped. What car have you got?" He stopped teasing me and opened the passenger door for me. I climbed in and fiddled with the seatbelt.

"A corvette," I replied and giggled as his eyes popped out in surprise.

"No shit, what colour?"

"Steel gun grey, god I fucking miss that car," I really did miss it. It was a present from mom during my freshman year. It definitely got me noticed by the guys, it was comical to watch their reactions when I stepped out. They almost always assumed it was a guy behind the wheel because I had the windows blacked out.

Edward shut my door and walked round to the driver's side shaking his head in amazement.

It didn't take us long to get to the grocery store and I let Edward take control of the shopping cart whilst we walked through the aisles.

I was in the breakfast cereal aisle when I noticed Edward wasn't behind me. When I turned to try and I find him, he was stood at the end of the aisle talking to some chick. Even from back here, I could see she was flirting with him. As if he knew I was watching him, his eyes darted towards me and then back to her.

As I made my way over to them, I tried my absolute hardest not to lose my shit.

"So how about it? You still know where I live right? We had so much fun last time-" she stopped talking as I placed the Crunchy Nut in our cart.

"Edward baby who's your friend?" My voice sounded sickly sweet. I fucking knew this day would come when we'd run into a girl he's slept with. I was raging inside. The thought of someone else knowing what his cock looks like was driving me insane.

"I'm Crissy, and you are?" God her voice was nasally. She crossed her arms in front of her, pushing her none existent tits out to try and entice him. Edward however draped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in closer.

"Isabella, the girlfriend," I threw the title out and watched her scowl at me.

"Girlfriend? But Edward doesn't date, do you, Edward?" _Is this girl for real?_

"Well it was nice meeting you Crissy but we really have to go. We've got plans with his parents today so we must get going, right baby?" The arm I had around Edward tightened and my hand grasped his gun, he moved to look at me and swiftly shook his head.

"Parents? I thought you said they lived out of town?" She was still talking and her nasally voice was giving me a headache.

"Come on Bella we gotta go," He didn't even address her as he steered us away and down an aisle we just been through. I turned back to Crissy and gave her a gentle wave whilst sliding my hand inside Edward's back pocket, just to claim him once more.

"You're unbelievable did you know that?" He laughed as he squeezed me closer to him, planting a kiss at the top of my head.

"How the hell could you stand listening to her?" I asked in wonder and reached out for more cookies before he could steer me away.

"I was drunk the couple of times we slept together. I never bothered to pay attention when she was talking," Edward shrugged like it was no big deal. I just hoped it will be the one and only time we'll run into someone from his past.

I don't think I can handle another encounter.

Luckily, we managed to finish our shopping trip without bumping into Crissy again or anyone else we might know.

My day was starting to look up once more when it was Seth at the door when we got back. He kindly helped Edward with the shopping bags and he was so easy to like. They had inside jokes I apparently wasn't allowed in on and my cheeks were hurting from laughter watching Edward and Seth interact.

"If you ever struggle to find a sitter, bring Leah here and I'll look after her. Edward, you don't mind, do you?" I didn't want to overstep.

"Of course not baby," he winked at me whilst placing the last bag inside the elevator.

"Thank you for offering but I really don't want to bring Leah down here. She's like a sponge at the moment and too curious for her own good. I really do appreciate the offer and maybe one day I will, but I'd rather no one knew about her just yet if you know what I mean," he didn't elaborate further and I caught Edward and Seth share a look before he glanced back at me.

"No worries at all, just let me know if you change your mind," I assured him and he winked back in response and stepped away to let the elevator doors close.

"God how I wish he was here full time," I groaned and let my head drop back onto the mirrored wall behind me.

"I know angel. Felix's days are numbered I promise you. We're just waiting on a couple more bits of information and then I'm bringing him to the warehouse. Like I've said before, he is easily replaceable and I can see how uncomfortable he makes you. Hunter and Felix aren't that close anyway so I doubt it will be any loss to him if Felix were to disappear," Edward moved in front of me, each of his legs outside of mine as he caged me in with his arms. I sighed contently when he leaned in closer to my lips. It felt like forever since I've tasted him.

Before we could really get into it, the elevator reached our floor and Edward pulled away from me and bent down to grab a few of the grocery bags whilst I did the same.

Whilst I put some of the food away, I opened one of the cupboards that held a gun. This would be the perfect opportunity for me to find out where the rest are hidden.

"Babe are you busy?" I called out as Edward had to step into his office to deal with a call.

"Just give me a second," was his response so I continued with putting away a few of the last bits that lay around. By now I had plenty of ideas what I wanted to make us for dinner but it will have to wait until tomorrow seeing as we're at his parent's house tonight.

Edward swaggered out from his office and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before he turned to me with a raised eyebrow.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Do you have a minute to show me where all the hidden guns are?" I asked and fluttered my eyelashes a little, hoping it would do the trick.

"Sure angel, we might as well start in the kitchen," and so we did. He opened up a cabinet by the fridge, sink, bar, and even told me to reach around in the pantry, there was one stuck to the top of it.

Edward grabbed hold of my hand and walked me over to the couch. He sat down in the middle and patted the space next to him on the right. Once I sat down, we bent forward and he guided my hand under the couch where I could feel 2 more guns.

"That's there in case you need to drop to the floor if fuckers are shooting at us from the entryway," he quickly explained and then we rose again. We walked over to where the elevator doors are and to the panel that held the little screen Emmett opened up. Besides that, Edward had a cabinet that held yet another gun.

There was also one stashed behind the shoe rack.

I had lost count how many that was by now.

As we made our way over to the bedroom, I stopped outside the office and cocked my head towards it.

"The guns in there are all on display apart from one. There's a gun holstered to the bottom of my desk. The reason it's not in a drawer is that it's easier to grab hold of and keeping it in a drawer is too fucking obvious," he rolled his eyes at the cliché and I giggled as I looked over all the guns on display. Partly surprised that they were all loaded.

"Now what you also need to know is that the office door is bulletproof. If anyone, in any way manages to get inside the penthouse, make sure you can get inside here and lock the door behind you. This is the safest room in the house." His voice took on a serious tone and I simply nodded in response, too scared to even imagine a scenario where I'd need to hide in here.

Edward quickly kissed the back of my hand that he was still holding and we walked into the bedroom. I quickly glanced around but couldn't see anything that would give away where he could have stashed a gun.

"Any idea?" he questioned as he looked at me.

"Not a clue. My first guess would be the bedside cabinets, of course, the dresser and probably somewhere in the walk-in closet?" it came out as a question because I genuinely wasn't sure where it could be.

"Yeah, both bedside cabinets have a gun inside but you don't have to physically open the drawer to get it, there are buttons on the side that pop open a secret compartment. I do have one inside the dresser and it's in the middle drawer as it's easier to open," we walked over to the dresser and he motioned for me to go ahead and open it.

What I noticed was how easy it was to open even though the whole dresser was real sturdy oak, it slid like it was oiled. I peaked in and the only thing inside that drawer was a gun, bullets, and a throwing knife. I even opened the drawer above and below the middle one and they were harder to pull open and close.

We finally walked into the walk-in closet and the only gun in there was holstered behind his suit jackets, which were right by the door. When we walked into the bathroom, Edward pressed on a tile right below the mirror cabinet and it popped open, revealing a small handgun.

I could feel my heart rate pick up as I wrapped my head around it all. I made sure to store all of that information, still hoping I'd never need to actually use it.

"And that's it for now. There are a lot of other places I could keep more guns in but it would be too much to remember where they all are. I can proudly say I've never had to use any of them. Well, apart from the delivery guy but we don't need to go into that," Edward teased as he wrapped his arms around me and just held me in his bathroom.

"Are you ok?" he asked after a while.

"Yeah. It's a lot, you know? I'm fucking glad you've not had to use any of them, proves that your security is still tight. I just hope my being here won't change that any time soon," I breathed him in as we continued to stand in his bathroom, wrapped around each other.

"I'll keep you safe angel, I promise. Hunter's addiction is getting out of hand, any day now he's going to fuck up and that's when we'll make our move," he sounded so positive.

"How can you be so sure he'll mess up?" It sounded highly implausible. Surely, he would be on high alert if he knows he's being watched by Carlisle's men.

"Because he's cocky like that and believes he's untouchable. But he's also an idiot and hasn't had the same training as me. He got so high the other night, one of my guys actually approached him and Hunter told him all about Felix and how he's promised Felix a lot of money for keeping an eye out on who's coming and going into my place," he was so calm as he spoke about this, it was like we were discussing the weather.

But I trusted Edward's judgment. He obviously knows this Hunter guy better than I do. I don't even know what he looks like. I just want him off my back as well as Felix.

"Ok now that show and tell is over, I really need to get some work done," we briefly kissed before he pulled away again and we walked out of the bathroom together, I walked into the living area whilst he stepped inside his office.

I was about to grab my phone to call Rose but it started ringing.

"Rose hey, I was-"

"Bella, can we meet?" She sounded tearful and I was on high alert.

I immediately walked towards the office.

"What's wrong?" I asked as Edward's head shot up to look at me.

"I really need to talk to you," she was being very cryptic and was now full-on crying.

"Rosalie are you ok? Is someone there with you?" My heart was racing by this point.

Just then, Edward's phone started ringing, and at a quick glance, I saw that it was Emmett. With a raised eyebrow Edward picked up the phone.

"Emmett, what's wrong?" I couldn't hear the end of that conversation as all I could hear was Rosalie crying.

"I don't know what to do. I need to see you. I can't get hold of Alice but if you can, can you ask her to meet us at the coffee house?" Rose tried to get out but I really didn't want to leave the apartment.

"Babe why don't you come here and I'll get Alice to meet us here too. You know where Edward lives right?" I quickly looked at Edward and he was nodding as well as pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Yeah I know where he lives. I'll see you in 15 minutes. I'm so scared Bella, I think I might lose him," was all she said before she hung up. I stared at my phone like it was going to give me answers. Edward was still on the phone to Emmett and I tried to figure out what the fuck is going on. I grabbed the note pad on Edward's desk and quickly scribbled on it.

_**Rose is coming in 15. What's Em saying?**_

**Ok, I'm glad you managed to persuade her to come here. And I don't know, he's wasted and slurring.**

_**I think they had a fight.**_

**I think so too, he's asked me to meet him at the warehouse so as soon as Rosalie gets here, I'll leave.**

I nodded and glanced down at my phone as it started ringing again. I sighed in relief when I saw Alice's name on the screen.

"Ali SOS, meet me at Edward's. Something's happened with Rose and Emmett," I quickly rambled on and she cursed, said she was on her way, and told me she is bringing the tequila. I couldn't help but laugh, even though there was nothing funny about this situation. Trust Alice to bring the alcohol though.

"Ok, Em I'll be there in a while. Try to sober up man. I can't understand the fuck you're saying. I'm bringing Jasper with me," Edward huffed in annoyance and hung up. He quickly dialed Jasper and told him to meet him at the warehouse.

"What do you think happened?" I asked, trying to come up with something that would make sense. Rose and Emmett loved a fight purely for the make-up sex, but's it's never led to tears.

"I know as much as you do angel. All he kept talking about is cleaning up and that things will have to change now. None of it made any sense," Edward pushed away from the desk and beckoned me forward. I walked over to him and sat down on his lap.

We sat in silence, both trying to figure out what the fuck happened to our friends. All sorts of scenarios ran through my head but none of them could possibly be true.

The sound of the intercom buzzing made me jump and Edward reached over to the phone and pressed on a button.

"There's a Miss Alice Brandon here with an armful of booze, she told me, and I quote '_open up bitch',_" Edward and I laughed hearing Seth trying to imitate Alice.

"I'll send the lift down. There is also a Rosalie Hale who'll be coming too so just buzz me again and I'll come down and get her," Edward said as he maneuvered the camera angle on the computer screen. We watched as a 4 foot nothing Alice stood there tapping her foot impatiently. I laughed at my crazy friend but then I sat up as Seth moved to open the door again revealing Rosalie, dressed in a baggy sweatshirt and leggings.

"Oh shit this is serious if she left the house dressed like that," I mumbled and Edward chuckled. I got off his lap and we both walked over to the elevator.

It didn't take long for it to descend and then come back up again, carrying 2 of the most precious cargo in my life.

When the door opened, the tequila was on the floor and Alice had her short arms wrapped tightly around Rose, almost supporting her.

I looked at Alice questioningly and she just shrugged, as best as she could anyway.

"Rose what happened?" I stretched my arms out and as she walked towards me, Edward leaned down and grabbed the drinks, quickly saying hello to Alice, and then we all walked over to the couch.

"I messed up," she mumbled into me but then pulled away as we sat down. Alice and I sandwiched her between us as she sat back and pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm pregnant."


	18. Chapter 18

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 18**

_"Rose what happened?" I stretched my arms out and as she walked towards me, Edward leaned down and grabbed the drinks, quickly saying hello to Alice, and then we all walked over to the couch._

_"I messed up," she mumbled into me but then pulled away as we sat down. Alice and I sandwiched her between us as she sat back and pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around herself._

_"I'm pregnant."_

_Ok this isn't what I expected her to say_.

At all.

As far as I knew, all three of us were on the pill. It's supposed to prevent you from getting pregnant, or at least 99% of the time anyway. A warning they give you before you start taking them. What are the chances though?

I guess my best friend is in the 1% it seems.

"How?" Was my only question.

"I've been in over my head with all these assignments they've thrown at us already, pressure from my dad to take over the family business, my estranged mother all of a sudden wanting to get back into my life. It all became too much and I forgot to get a repeat of my pill. You guys know Em and I have a shit load of sex-" more tears started streaming down her face at the mention of Emmett.

"Do you want this baby?" I almost forgot Edward was still here, his question made us all turn to look at him.

"Yes, with all my heart. But Emmett doesn't," it was like all the life was sucked out of her when she said those 3 words. Em and Rose were destined to be together. They're the definition of soul mates. They both set the bar really high for Alice and me to find something close to what they have.

"Did he actually say that?" Edward crouched down to her level and placed his hands on top of hers. It was like he was one of the girlfriends. My heart expanded watching him interact with my best friend. He was the only calm one at the moment.

"No in those words exactly but I could see it in his face. It was the biggest fight we've ever had. He said it was too dangerous to be bringing a child into this life at the moment. The fact that we're too young and that there's still so much he wanted us to do together before we started a family. It's not like I fucking planned this. But I can't just get rid of this baby! It's something both of us created, it's a part of me and him. I don't know what I'd do without him, I can't lose him," Rose rested her head on top of her knees and her shoulders shook as she continued to cry. I looked pleadingly towards Edward. He simply nodded at me and stood up.

Edward placed a hand on my cheek, his thumb gently rubbing up and down my face as he looked at me.

"I'm going to go," he gently said to me.

"Rose, Emmett asked me to meet him down at the warehouse. He's pretty wasted at the moment but I'll try to talk to him, see where his head is at now," he addressed her.

"Baby, call me if you need anything," I lifted my face up so he could kiss me and watched him as he walked over to the elevator and stepped in. Our eyes locked on one another as the door began to close.

"I was wrong about him Bella. I'm so sorry. He really is a good guy, not what media and films make you believe about the Mob. Girls I really wish things were different, I wish Emmett had a normal job, where our lives weren't at risk every time he had a job to do. But I can't change the way I feel about this baby, I also can't do this on my own. I can't even imagine what my dad will say about this either. God, how could I let this happen? And now look what happened…he hates me," she was hurting so much, the strongest woman I know was breaking down in front of my eyes. Both Alice and I moved in closer to her and wrapped our arms around her.

"It's going to be ok Rosie I promise. You've got us. We will do this together if Emmett isn't going to step up. We'll be like Three Girls and a Baby if that's what it will take. You will not be alone I swear," Alice spoke gently, with a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.

"Ali is right. You've got the two of us to help you. You've always told us how you can't wait to start a family, fate had other ideas for you and speeded things up a bit. Emmett will come around trust me, he loves you so much, Rose. It's just a huge shock, for both of you. He can't live without you either babe, you know this," I just hope he realizes this sooner rather than later. I refuse to believe he would leave her because of this. I know some men are weak enough to do that but not Emmett, he can handle anything.

We sat in silence and even cried together at one point for what felt like hours. All three of us lost in our own thoughts. If Edward and I were in the same situation, I don't think he would have been as calm about it as he was with Rose. I don't think I would be either. Neither one of us wants kids, whereas Emmett and Rose had always discussed raising a family.

"You guys hungry?" I finally spoke after a while.

"Yeah, I could eat. Ro?" Alice asked as she gently ran her fingers through Rosalie's hair.

"Yes please, we can get take out though, Bella you don't have to cook," she smiled sheepishly at me and it was the first smile we've seen since she got here. I kissed the top of her head and reached out for my phone.

We quickly decided on Mexican and I put the order through. I also noticed I had received a message from Esme who said she got my number from Edward, reminding us that dinner will be at 7 and not to bring anything. I wondered whether Edward and I should reschedule as it was 5 o'clock already.

So I got up to give him a quick call and see how his end of the situation was going. I excused myself and went into his office to make the call.

"Everything ok?" He answered after the first ring and I smiled into the phone.

"Yeah, I think we all ran out of tears by now though. Listen, I got a text from your mom reminding us about dinner, the girls and I have just ordered Mexican. Do you think they'd mind if we reschedule? Maybe we can have breakfast at theirs tomorrow instead?" I didn't want them to think we keep blowing them off. But I can't leave Rose right now.

"I've actually just got off the phone with dad, I've told him that something's come up. He wouldn't drop it so I had to tell him what actually happened and he's on his way here to meet us. And my mom is on her way to mine to meet you guys, I hope you don't mind. I think Rose could do with some motherly support," I could hear the smile in his voice and I couldn't wait to be in his arms again so I could kiss him. He has been amazing today. Level headed in a tough situation, probably something he was used to by now.

"Of course I don't mind, I think you're right, she could do with some motherly love right now. How's it going down your end?" I was almost afraid to ask.

"I think we're getting somewhere. I'm not leaving here without him. Jasper and I are just waiting for him to sober up a bit more, asshole drank a whole bottle of whiskey. And we're waiting for dad to give him an ass whooping," He laughed humourlessly and I snickered.

The intercom buzzer went off.

"That's either dinner or your mom so I gotta go baby, is Seth still here?"

"Yeah, he's here all night. I'll let you go and I'll see you soon angel. I love you baby," _gah he's killing me today._

"Ok good. And I love you too Edward, so much. I'll see you when you get back," we ended the call and I walked over to the intercom.

"Hey Bella, Mrs. Cullen is here, and did you guys order food?" Seth's joyful voice rang through.

"Great, yeah we did, tell her I'm sending the elevator down," I walked out of the office and towards the lift. I pressed on the button and watched as Esme stood by the elevator door and then stepped in. It wasn't long before it dinged again and there stood Edward's mom with a takeout bag in her hands. She was dressed in a sweater dress and heels. It was like there was this saintly glow around her as she stepped out and opened her arms for me. I didn't hesitate and moved towards her, wanting some of that motherly attention myself.

"Bella sweetie it's so nice to see you again. How are you? How's my son treating you?" We pulled apart and she looked at me lovingly before quickly glancing at the couch where my best friends still sat but turned to look at us.

"I'm great Esme and he's been amazing, sorry we had to blow you guys off again. Things…happened I guess, I couldn't leave her," I whispered the last part and Esme just nodded in understanding.

"Don't you dare worry about it. I understand. I was in exactly the same situation when I got pregnant with Edward. I just wish I had girlfriends like you and Alice there for me," surprise was written all over my face and she just winked at me. We both turned towards the living area and made our way back over to the couch. I took the bag out of Esme's hands and grabbed some plates for everyone. Luckily, I over-ordered a bit of everything so there will be plenty for everyone.

Alice got up to greet Esme and they embraced like they already knew each other.

"It's so nice to finally put a face to the voice, I know we've only spoken on the phone but I feel like I already know you so well sweetheart. How are you, Alice?" _Could she be any more amazing?_

"I'm great! Esme, you're as beautiful as I'd imagined you to be! I can't believe we've only just got to meet face to face. Did you get my email from the dress lady? What do you think?" I guess introductions won't be necessary with those 2. I didn't know they had already spoken to each other, but knowing that she was like a surrogate mother to Jasper, I guess I shouldn't be so surprised.

They briefly caught up whilst I set everything up on the coffee table and then the room went silent as Esme turned towards Rosalie. Love and adoration are the only ways I could describe the look on Esme's face as she looked at my best friend.

"Esme," was the only thing Rose said as she shot off the couch and into Esme's open arms. Her tears starting all over again.

"Shhh sweetie, mama's here now," I swallowed down the lump in my throat and willed myself not to cry. Alice moved over to me and wrapped her arms around me, tears freely running down her pixie face as we looked on.

"He'll come around baby. It's a huge shock for any man but trust me, he'll soon realize what a blessing it is. I take it you will keep this little miracle right?" Esme held Rose's face in her hands and wiped away a few of her tears that kept escaping.

"I hope you're right Esme, I can't do this on my own. All I can see is the look of disappointment on his face," Rose looked down as she spoke.

"You will never be alone baby girl. The girls behind me will make sure of that and you've got me too. This is the scariest and most exciting thing in the world Rose. You will make an exceptional mother, a title you should wear with pride. A lot of babies are unplanned anyway, just make sure you don't tell them that. Poor Edward was heartbroken when Carl slipped that bit of information out," Esme snickered and it actually made Rose laugh for the first time since she got here. I couldn't help but giggle myself, easily picturing it.

"Let's sit down and eat shall we?" Esme and Rose turned towards us and Alice and I both nodded and made ourselves comfortable on the couch and spare love seat. After everyone grabbed what they wanted, conversation flowed easily between us. It was like Esme was one of the girls, telling us tales of her own pregnancy.

"I miscarried twice before Edward. He's my miracle baby for sure. All the doctors told me to be prepared for the worst, but my Edward is a fighter and stubborn too. Little shit was born a week late, made me miserable the last few days to the point where I nearly shot Carlisle in frustration. I tried all the remedies and old wife's tales and nothing worked. Well, one thing worked, having sex really does speed things up a little. Which is quite funny if you think about it, it's the one thing that got you into that position and it's also the one thing that seemed to get you out of it too," Esme laughed at the memory and we all joined in.

"Did you want more kids Esme?" Alice asked.

"Yeah we did but unfortunately God had other plans. The first and last time I got pregnant after Edward we had a stillbirth. We wanted to keep the gender a secret, so I didn't know until the end that we had a girl. She would have been the same age as you girls. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't think about her. One of the hardest times in our life. Carlisle was my rock, and so was Edward even though he couldn't quite understand what was going on at the time," Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and there wasn't a dry eye in the room once more.

"Edward never said anything," I whispered, my heart breaking for Esme.

"No, I imagine he wouldn't. He doesn't like talking about it. Says he hates the pitiful look people give him," she smiled lovingly at me but jumped slightly when Rose spoke.

"Oh my god, what if I lose this baby? Anything could happen between now and then!" She was panicking as she grabbed hold of Esme's arm.

"Rosie everything will be fine. I had problems with my ovaries since I was a teenage girl. I knew of the risks. It's a possibility of course, but you have to stay positive and do what your doctor tells you. Have you seen a doctor yet?" She asked as she patted Rose's arm in assurance.

"I have an appointment next week," Rose said as her breathing returned back to normal.

"Let us know what time and we'll come with you," I told her, getting excited about her scan. Rose nodded enthusiastically and her hand automatically dropped to her still flat stomach.

"Any idea how far along you are?" Alice asked.

"Not a clue. My periods have been irregular even with the pill so it's hard to tell," She trailed off as the elevator doors dinged and we all turned towards them.

Edward, Jasper, Carlisle, and lastly Emmett, all stepped out. The first three going straight to the liquor cabinet whilst Emmett walked over to us. I was ready to step in front of Rosalie and block her from his view but he dropped to his knees in front of her as tears streaked down his face.

"Rosie," was all he said before she flung her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. That stupid lump was back in my throat as I glanced up to look at Edward. He had a gentle smile on his face and I got off the love seat and made my way over to him. Esme got up, kissed to the top of Emmett and Rosalie's head, and walked over to Carlisle who held his arms open for her. Alice followed and moved over to Jasper who didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her and whisper something in her ear.

We tried not to listen in but it was hard when we were only a couple of feet away from them.

"Baby I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I said back at the house. I didn't mean any of it. Please forgive me, I will do anything for you and our baby. Anything," Emmett's sincerity was clear in his voice. I let out a long breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"You can't leave me," she sobbed out.

"I wouldn't dream of it Rosie. Not now, not ever. You're it for me woman," he tried to get a smile out of her and he succeeded. Emmett stood up and engulfed her in his huge arms, lifting her off the floor in the process. Edward tightened his hold on me and his chest vibrated on my back as he spoke.

"If you guys want some privacy, you can use my office."

Emmett just turned towards us and nodded as he carried Rosalie into Edward's office and closed the door behind them.

Everyone let out a huge breath and then we all chuckled. It's been one hell of an afternoon.

"Have you eaten?" I turned to face him.

"Yeah, we stopped off for burgers before we got here," Edward replied and then leaned forward and planted his lips on mine. I smiled into the kiss, glad to finally have him home. His scent calmed me in a way I was beginning to get used to.

There was a throat clearing next to us and we pulled apart, smiling at each other like two idiots in love. He gave me the feeling of butterflies in my stomach. I hope I never lose that feeling.

Carlisle snickered next to us and from the corner of my eye, I noticed the cuff around his wrist that Edward spoke about. I stepped away from Edward and quickly ran into the bedroom to retrieve the picture from my wall that Edward took.

As I walked back into the living area, everyone was seated and I walked over to where Edward sat and perched myself on his lap as there was no room left anywhere else. His right hand rested on my ass as I leaned forward and handed Carlisle the picture.

He barked out a boisterous laugh as Esme leaned in closer to have a better look at it. I instinctively smiled when Carlisle looked back up at me and there was a certain twinkle in his eyes.

"Did you know your dad gave me a copy of this picture? A version where I'm not cut out of it mind you. How come you cut me out, Isa? You're breaking my heart," he teased as he clutched his heart in mock pain.

"I didn't I swear! This was how I found it in one of the family albums. It used to be on my wall back at the house, Edward, and I wanted to show it to you. Do you remember when it was taken?" I asked, the excitement palpable in my voice.

"This was actually the last time I saw you. Charlie said things were becoming complicated and he was moving further up in his firm. I didn't want his association with me to jeopardize any of it so I didn't push. Speaking of Charlie, I got a call from him last night. He said he's worried about you, is everything ok Isa?" Carlisle sounded concerned but quickly shot daggers at Edward behind me, whilst I was getting annoyed with my father all over again.

"Everything is fine. He's the one with the problem. Long story short we got into a fight once again about what I'm doing with my life. He simply refuses to accept the fact that I don't want to study law or follow in his footsteps. It's something we've fought about since I graduated from high school," I could feel myself getting wound up about it and Edward started rubbing soothing circles on my back as I leaned back into him.

"Ah, I see. He asked if I'd meet him tomorrow. Do you want to join me? We can get ice cream after," he sat forward and took hold of my hands as he searched my face. I smiled at the thought of getting ice cream with Edward's dad. It weirdly felt familiar even though I was too young to remember him. I don't know how I feel about meeting my own dad for that matter.

"Can I think about it and get back to you? I don't know if I'm ready to speak to him just yet," I spoke quietly, almost ashamed to say it in front of everyone.

"Of course. It's entirely up to you if you want to join me, I won't force it sweetheart," he winked at me and I could see so much of Edward in his father it was scary. I beamed back at him and we all turned when the office door opened and Rose and Emmett stepped out hand in hand. Her eyes were still puffy from all that crying but with a huge grin on her face that matched Emmett's.

"It was great catching up with all you guys but I need to take my baby mama home to rest," Emmett exclaimed as they stood next to us.

"Don't think I'm done with you yet Emmett McCarthy! You caused that girl a lot of pain so you'll be hearing from me, do I make myself clear?" Esme's mama bear was coming out and I buried my face in the crook of Edward's neck to stifle my laughter.

"I know Esme, thank you for looking out for my Rosie mama Cullen. I promise you won't ever have to do that again," I didn't quite know what to say to his declaration. I guess time will tell, but I was glad to see they were back to being their usual selves.

"You better make sure of that. Right everyone, I think it's about time we stopped crowding Edward and Bella's living space and scram," Esme clapped her hands together and everyone laughed as they all began saying goodbye to us.

"Call me if you need anything at all ok? I'll be there in a heartbeat," I spoke into Rosalie's ear as we embraced. She simply smiled at me and gave me a quick peck on the lips before she was engulfed in Emmett's arms again.

"You're still on thin ice with me Em," I grumbled as he looked at me sheepishly.

"I don't expect anything less, just try not to shoot me Bella, I think Rosie still wants to keep me in one piece," he joked and succeeded in making me laugh.

I promised Carlisle to give him a call tomorrow once I've made up my mind about whether I want to see dad or not. He let me know what time they're meeting and he reminded me that it's absolutely fine if I decide not to go.

Everyone made promises of getting back together soon as Edward and I walked them to the elevator. I giggled as the guys were pushing and shoving each other whilst Alice clung onto Rose like a limpet and Esme tried to scold everyone but failed miserably as she couldn't stop laughing.

Once the elevator doors closed, Edward and I both released a long breath at finally being alone again. It was scary how quiet the place was now.

"Would you like a drink?" He whispered into my ear as he held me from behind.

"Mmm there's actually something else I'd like instead," I teased as I backed my ass into his crotch and felt his cock getting harder.

"And what would that be Isabella?" His voice was deep, laced with all sorts of hidden promises.

"You and me, naked, and with you making me scream your name out into these walls," I was getting breathless just thinking about it.

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Edward quickly turned me around in his arms and hoisted me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist as he carried me into the bedroom, our lips molded together in a heated kiss.

I giggled as he threw me onto the bed. I quickly propped myself on my elbows as I watched him step back and strip for me.

_Come to mama. _


	19. Chapter 19

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 19**

The only time we left the bed last night was when we got hungry, but even as I was making us grilled cheese sandwiches, Edward still bent me over the counter and took me from behind.

Just thinking about last night made my body tingle in the most delicious of ways.

Edward was locked in his office doing some work whilst I sat at the breakfast bar trying to pay attention to the online lecture. I had my hair held up by 2 pens and one currently in my mouth as I tried to find the right information from the huge ass textbook I had to spend a pretty penny on. I had textbooks and notes scattered around me and the coffee machine was working overtime to keep me alert. My neck was starting to cramp up in the position I was in though, I definitely needed to do a workout after this.

I jumped slightly when I got a notification on my laptop.

'**Do you think it's too soon to start betting whether it will be a girl or a boy?' – Alice B.**

'Hell no! What are you saying?' – I.M Swan.

'**$100 it's a girl' – Alice B.**

'You're on' – I.M Swan.

'**I can't wait to go shopping for the baby!' – Alice B. **

'Oh god you're gonna go crazy aren't you?' – I.M Swan.

'**Of course! I'm the baby's fairy godmother.' – Alice B.**

'Excuse me? Who died and made you godmother?' – I.M Swan.

'**We're the baby's godparents…duh' – Alice B.**

'We can't both be godmothers Ali…' – I.M Swan.

'**Of course we can! Who said godparents have to be a man and a woman? Fuck the system!' – Alice B.**

'Haha I love you, Alice Brandon, never change bitch!' – I.M Swan

'**Ok I think I just missed something important, Prof Harrison is giving me evils. Gotta bounce sweet cheeks. TTYL xx' – Alice B.**

I shook my head at my best friend and tried to concentrate again on this boring as hell lecture. I don't understand how people choose to do this. I didn't have it in me to become a lawyer. It would make me a hypocrite considering who my boyfriend is. He hasn't fully out said he's ever killed anyone but I'm not stupid. He's been a part of this life for a long time already. It's unrealistic for me to think he's never ended a life.

But the thought of it made a cold sweat run through my body. I don't know if I can stomach knowing the answer to that though.

All of this made me think of my father. Edward and I had a long chat last night about whether I want to see him today. He thinks it would be good for me and my father to clear the air once and for all. He said with Carlisle being there, he would act as the mediator. If my dad happened to have any assumptions regarding Edward, Carlisle would be able to set it straight. I know for a fact my father will try to blame Edward on my decision to not sit the bar- even though he knows this isn't what I want to do- he will never acknowledge it.

I was still undecided even now. They're supposed to meet in 2 hours. I had asked Edward to come with me but he said it wasn't a good idea for my dad and him to meet like this. Especially when things are so rocky between us. I know he's right, but I still wish he could be there, for nothing more than moral support.

I picked up my phone and dialed Carlisle. I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest when he picked up after 2 rings.

"Isa sweetheart give me a sec," I nodded even though he can't see me so I whispered a quiet "Okay," and waited.

I could hear muffled voices but I wasn't able to make out what they were saying and now I wondered whether I disturbed something important.

_Do I hang up and let him call me back?_

There was more crackling on the line and then I heard a door slam before Carlisle returned to the phone.

"Sorry about that, it's like running a kindergarten sometimes. Anyway, what can I do for you, Isa?" I smiled at the mental image of Carlisle running a kindergarten, I doubt he would have the patients for kids.

"Is the invitation still open?" I asked timidly and jumped when a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind, Edward rested his chin on my shoulder and I breathed in his scent. It calmed me like nothing else as I relaxed into him.

"Of course, do you need me to pick you up?" _Gosh, I really wish I could get my license back. I feel like a kid again having to be dropped off and picked up every time._

I felt Edward nod next to me.

"Erm yeah if you don't mind."

"Not a problem, I'll see you in about an hour. Isa, can you get Edward to give me a call?" He sounded distracted and I really felt like I was interrupting him now.

"He's right next to me, do you want to speak to him?"

"Yeah that would be great, I'll see you soon sweetheart," and with that, I handed Edward my phone and tried not to listen in whilst he was pacing in front of me. I watched as his hand kept running through his hair as he spoke to his father, a sign of frustration that both of us seem to have.

I zoned out as I watched him continue to pace like a caged lion. He was dressed casually today, and I know for a fact he's not wearing any underwear. A thought that made my mouth water ever so slightly.

_Was it getting hot in here or is it just me?_

"No, I'll be home by the time you guys get back," that got my attention.

"Yeah, I'll see you later dad, look after my girl," and with that, he ended the call and handed me my phone back.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked, he never mentioned anything.

"Yeah angel sorry, there's a shipment that has come through but there have been some complications. I just need to check a few things over, sign a few papers and I should be home by the time you get back," he caged me with his arms, his hands resting on the edge of the breakfast bar behind me.

"Is it bad?" I wondered.

"Bad, no. Complicated, maybe. I'll know more when I get there. Now, are you 100% sure you want to meet with your dad? I don't want you going into something that's going to upset you," his lips met my forehead after he spoke.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You were right last night, this will be my last chance to try and get through to him. I'll have your dad as back up. I'll be ok, plus he promised me ice cream," I felt giddy at the thought and Edward laughed at me.

"Come with me," he grabbed my hand and pulled me off the stool. I followed him into the bedroom and then he led us to the bathroom. He picked me up and set me on the vanity whilst he turned towards the bath and started running the water.

"This is a nice surprise," I giggled as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. He bent lower and adjusted the temperature of the water before reaching out for the bottle of bath bubbles. When he stood back straight again, Edward turned to face me and reached behind him, grasping his t-shirt on the way. I watched mesmerized as bit by glorious bit, his chiseled abs and chest were revealed to me. Last night my tongue explored every bit of that skin, but watching it in pure daylight was a whole new story.

He reached down and began unbuttoning his jeans but didn't pull the zipper down. He moved in closer to me and grabbed hold of the bottom of my tank top and slowly pulled it up and off me. My nipples peaked at the sudden temperature changed and his hands gently grasped my breast, kneading them ever so slightly.

"I love how they feel in my hands, did I ever tell you you have an amazing pair of tits?" There was a glint in his eyes that spoke volumes.

"No, I don't think you have. And I love how well they fit in your hands." I moaned as the kneading increased. He pinched my nipples and leaned in closer, his lips attaching to my neck as he kissed and licked his way up to my ear.

"I love the way your whole body fits in my hands. The smooth curves of your body drive me wild. The way your ass feels, the way your skin pebbles when I do this," Edward left a kiss behind my ear and sure enough, my skin pebbled at the feeling.

His hands began to move down my waist and to the edge of my yoga pants. Edward dipped his thumb under the waistband and began to pull them down. I lifted my hips up to help him and he moved his head down to my stomach and left a wet trail down to my bare mound. I threw my head back in anticipation and moaned at the feel of his lips so close to my clit. Once the leggings were finally off me, Edward moved his hands back up to my hips and scooted me closer to the edge of the vanity.

"I just can't get enough of you," he said as his eyes darted to mine before his tongue peeked out again, and this time made contact with my aching clit. My hips bucked as I moaned in pleasure, the sound bouncing off the tiled walls.

"Fuck-" was all I could manage as he spread my lower lips and dived deeper.

I supported myself with my left hand behind me whilst my right hand went straight to his hair. My grip tightening with every lap of his tongue. He knew how to play my pussy so well by now, it didn't come as a surprise when the knots in my stomach began tightening. He knew ways to make it last longer, making me reach the highest of highs. He also knew ways that made me reach climax instantly. My body was so attuned to him by now, he was literally made for me.

"Oh god…don't stop…fuck yes…Edward, I'm gonna-" I couldn't form any more words as my eyes rolled to the back of my head and euphoria took over. As always, Edward helped me climb back down to earth as he gently lapped at my pussy, waiting for my body to stop its tremors.

As my breathing returned back to normal, Edward stood up straight again and leaned in to kiss me. I loved tasting myself on his tongue. It was so earthy and rich the way it mixed with the taste of him, I couldn't get enough.

I reached out to return the favor but he stepped back from me and then turned to shut the water off.

"Not today angel. As much as I love having your lips around my cock, this was just for you. I'm not the one who's about to go into the lion's den," he smirked and then proceeded to take his jeans off. My mouth watered at the sight of him, I thought I was going to start drooling as his cock bobbed with every step he took.

I hopped off the vanity and walked over to him. I reached out for him again but he was too quick. He grasped hold of my hands and brought them up to his lips.

He shook his head. "Not today," I think I actually pouted like a kid who wasn't allowed their favorite toy.

"Come on, let's get in before the water starts getting cold," he held onto my hand as I stepped into the hot bath. As I sank lower, my skin once again pebbled at the feel of the hot water soothing my muscles. I scooted forward so that Edward could get in behind me. Once he settled in, I moved back so that my back rested against his chest.

"Thank you for this. It's exactly what I needed," I whispered, sinking into him deeper as he dripped water over to my chest.

"My pleasure. You have no reason to be worried about today. It's just your father, you know he loves you. I can also understand your frustration when he refuses to let you do what you want with your life. You're the one living it, he can't dictate your every choice. But you're his only child and a daughter at that, he wants what's best for you, I can at least understand that" he sounded so sincere as he picked up a loofah and squirted some body wash onto it. Once he lathered it up, he began running it down my arms and over my chest.

"I know he's looking out for me, but he has to let me make my own life choices. The last thing I want is for him to be disappointed in me. What I'm scared of is the fact he will try and make me leave with him today once he finds out more about you. I'll let Carlisle dictate how much he wants my dad to know about you, but baby, my dad's not stupid. He'll put two and two together and realize that Carlisle's only son is more than likely in the same business," it's what my dream was about last night, once we finally got some sleep anyway.

I dreamt that my dad took me away, he grabbed hold of my hand and dragged me away to his car, and instead of Carlisle, it was Edward that was with me. Invisible ropes held him back from going after me. I remember crying, screaming out for Edward to come and get me and my father telling me I will never see Edward again. He said I was a foolish little girl to believe Edward wanted anything more than an easy fuck. He said my future will consist of bloodshed and death and that I don't belong with them.

It's all I kept replaying in my head when I woke up. Edward was fast asleep next to me, a small smile playing on his lips. I couldn't imagine never seeing that face again, hearing his voice, feeling his body aligned with mine.

I could feel a lump in my throat as I was brought back to the present. I tried my hardest not to let out the sob that I knew was trying to come out.

I focused on Edward's body behind me instead, his hands replaced the loofa as he rubbed circles on my breast. My nipples already reacting to his touch. I could feel him rock hard behind me and I wanted him. I didn't care that all of this was just about me. I needed to feel him inside me.

I reached back and took him in my hands. Edward sucked in a huge breath as my hands began stroking him.

"Bella what are you-" but I cut him off as I gripped tighter.

"This is still about me, feeling you is all for me. Having you inside me is all for me," and with that, I let go of his cock and maneuvered myself around so that I was facing him. His eyes were already hooded as he took in my wet body. Edward moved his legs so I could straddle him. Thank god this tub was big enough for what we're about to do.

"Are you sore Bella?" He asked as I lifted myself up on my knees and took him into my hands again.

"No," I moaned as I positioned him under me and slowly sank down on his hard cock. Water sloshed around us and over the tub but I didn't care, and neither did Edward by the look on his handsome face.

His hands reached out for my breast again and he squeezed them, eliciting a moan from me as I rocked over him. I caged him in with my arms as I rested my hands on the edge of the tub. I began to lift myself up and down his length, the water slowing my movements down but also intensified everything. I felt his thighs tense up every time my ass touched them. Edward's hands slid down to my hips and he gripped me tighter, thrusting into me as much as he could.

Both of our breathing had picked up by now. His moans met mine as we sought out more friction. My clit was rubbing against his pubic bone, slick from my earlier orgasm as well as the water. I was a little sore from last night, but the pain from it only intensified the pleasure as I continued to fuck him.

"Fuck you feel so good. I can't get enough of your pussy Isabella," he moaned and my pussy clenched. I was nearing the edge, I wanted to speed things up but I knew it was impossible whilst we were in the water.

"I want more baby," I whimpered as I was holding on by a thread. Edward's eyes lit up and he lifted me up as he stood. He gently placed me back in the bath so I wouldn't slip and instructed me to lay my chest over the edge of the tub whilst he moved behind me. I got down on my knees and lifted my ass up in the air. My pussy clenched tighter as Edward grabbed my ass and sheathed into me from behind. The sudden contact made me scream out in pleasure. With only a couple more thrust, I was coming undone on his cock. My back arched as I tried to move closer to him, get him deeper inside me as I convulsed around him. His movements slowed and he was more precise with his thrusts, riding out my orgasm and then spilling inside me with a shudder.

"Is that what you wanted?" He asked rhetorically, as he trailed wet kisses down my spine.

* * *

I decided on wearing my black skinny jeans and a red cashmere sweater with suede black high heeled boots. Edward said my ass looks great in those jeans and gave me a swat on the said great ass as he walked by me.

I was a lot calmer after our bath. I was willing to take anything my father threw at me like a big girl and I'm going to make sure he knows he can't control my life anymore.

I was straightening my hair when the intercom buzzed.

"Bella dad is here. He's waiting outside for you," Edward said as he leaned against the doorframe watching me.

"Ok, I'm nearly done, just need to grab my purse. Baby, have you seen my phone?" I asked as I made sure to turn the hair straighteners off. I walked over to the chaise and picked up my bag. When I turned to face Edward again, he stood against the doorframe with my phone in his hands. His face looked serious.

"Felix is downstairs. If he tries to talk to you, just ignore him. My patients with him is wearing thin now more than ever. So if he does say anything, let me know. I might have to take care of him sooner than planned," I shuddered slightly at the change in his demeanor. I'd be lying if I said that the thought of Felix no longer being here didn't relieve me. I don't like the fact that he reports every time Edward leaves the apartment or the way he looks at me. This whole being kept tabs on creeped me out.

"Ok, I'll let you know. Will you be home by the time we get back?" I wrapped my arms around his waist and looked up at him, luckily, I didn't have to crane my neck back too much given the height these heeled boots provided.

"I should be. But in case I'm not, stay with dad a little longer. Your security isn't available today but I'll be able to breathe better knowing you're not alone," he kissed the top of my head and then wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he walked me over to the elevator.

"Wish me luck," I said and kissed his lips briefly before stepping into the elevator.

"You won't need it," he winked back as the doors began to close.

"Love you!" I shouted and heard him laugh as I began to descend.

I squared my shoulders and stood straighter than usual as the elevator dinged and the doors reopened, putting me smack in front of Felix who stood closer than usual.

"Ah Isabella, you're looking finer every time I see you. How's Cullen royalty treating you?" He sneered as he said the name Cullen and it caused a cold shiver to run down my back.

I didn't even give him any eye contact as I carried on walking towards the door. He reached over and opened it for me but didn't step back. My arm brushed against his chest as I walked past him and I heard him inhale deeply.

"Soon," was all he said but then straightened up and moved aside as he spotted Carlisle leaning against the car watching him.

"Bella sweetheart lets get going," Carlisle moved to the side and opened the passenger door for me. I quickly walked over to him, a little shaken, and reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek before I got into the car. The slam of the car door made me jump and I tried to shake the feeling off before Carlisle got in.

"What did he say to you?" Carlisle was very good at reading people it seems. Like father like son.

"He said I look finer every time he sees me and then he asked how Cullen royalty was treating me. As I walked by him, he said 'soon' but I don't know what that means," my voice quivered at the end and Carlisle reached out and gently took my hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"You've got nothing to worry about. We'll soon take care of him," was all he said as he pressed his foot on the peddle and we sped off.

Before I knew it, we were stopping outside a small café. Carlisle got out and walked around to my side and opened the door for me. The streets were buzzing with people, but I followed Carlisle inside the café and people seemed to just part the way for him like he was Moses. If I thought people stared at Edward, it was nothing compared to the way they looked at Carlisle.

It wasn't hard to spot my dad. He stood out tall, a hard look on his face. For a moment I couldn't remember the way he looked when he smiled or the sound of his laughter. That hard face is the only way I remember seeing him for quite some time. He was dressed in one of his Armani suits, crisp white shirt, and a grey tie. His mustache trimmed to perfection as usual. I don't think he even knows how to look scruffy. The smell of Old Spice and cigar made my eyes tear up, I forgot how much I missed that scent.

"Isabella, what are you doing here?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 20**

_It wasn't hard to spot my dad. He stood out tall, a hard look on his face. For a moment I couldn't remember the way he looked when he smiled or the sound of his laughter. That hard face is the only way I remember seeing him for quite some time. He was dressed in one of his Armani suits, crisp white shirt, and a grey tie. His mustache trimmed to perfection as usual. I don't think he even knows how to look scruffy. The smell of Old Spice and cigar made my eyes tear up, I forgot how much I missed that scent._

"_Isabella, what are you doing here?"_

"Hi Dad," was all I could muster to say. He definitely didn't look happy to see me. His eyes kept darting between Carlisle and I.

"You want to explain to me how you two happen to meet?" He focused his sharp gaze on Carlisle whilst Carlisle didn't look fazed at all and instead pulled out a chair for me.

"Let's order something shall we? I'm starving." He rubbed his stomach and then proceeded to take a seat himself and look at the menu.

I felt dad's eyes on me but I didn't dare look up. My false bravado left me and I felt like a little girl again.

Dad huffed in frustration and proceeded to sit, scooting his chair ever so slightly closer to me. There was an awkward silence surrounding the table and I was beginning to regret coming. With dad's attitude already setting the sour mood, there was no way he was going to listen to what I had to say.

I discreetly took out my phone and sent a quick message to Edward.

_**I shouldn't have come, dad's got steam coming out his ears and all I said was "hi dad". - B**_

I pocketed my phone, took a deep breath and finally looked up to find both men looking at me.

"Ok all this awkward silence is creeping me the fuck out. Someone say something," I finally blurted out.

"Language Isabella, you know better than that. Didn't we teach you anything?" His sharp gaze was directed at me now.

"It's been a while, Charlie. How's business?" Carlisle asked and with a quick glance around the café, he signaled for the waiter to come.

"I really don't think it's wise to talk business whilst we have company," I didn't miss the quick glance he shot in my direction.

"Didn't stop you before," I responded and Carlisle chuckled.

"Back then you were too young to understand," Dad added before fixing his gaze back to Carlisle.

"Oh come on now Charlie, you can speak freely in front of your _daughter,_" he emphasized the word daughter and at that moment, I felt anything but Charlie's daughter.

"Mind explaining how this happened?" Dad was still furious as he gestured between Carlisle and me.

"Funny story actually. You see, my Edward met your Bella and they hit it off from the get-go. I didn't know it was your Bella he was gushing about until she came to see me at the hospital when I had a little hiccup," Carlisle began to explain.

"I'd hardly call a mild heart attack a hiccup Carlisle," I chastised him lightly, raising my eyebrow when he gave me an innocent look and a cheeky wink.

"What do you mean your Edward? Isabella, what have you gotten yourself into? I told your mother we should have shipped you out of Chicago but you were adamant you wanted to come to this college. Do you have any idea who he is?" I could feel a headache coming on and I could practically feel the rage seeping out of my dad.

Luckily, the waiter finally decided to approach our table. Both men ordered a club sandwich whilst I decided on the omelet.

Silence once again filled the table and I felt my leg start to bounce in anticipation, trying to figure out the best way to approach this subject once again.

"The UoC was my best option dad, you know this. And I haven't gotten myself into anything. Edward and I are together, if you can't accept that then that's your problem. I know perfectly well who he is," I sighed.

"I knew coming today would be a bad idea," I slumped back in my chair. Carlisle reached out and placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze as a sign of support.

"Do you understand the risk he puts you in? What if the police get wind of what he gets up to? Are you just going to stand there and defend him?" Dad seethed in a whisper.

"You know perfectly well the police won't do shit to us, Charlie. Nothing would ever stick. Now, I know you're worried, but Edward would never let any harm come to Isa and neither would I. You know how much she means to me, I swore to you I would protect her if something were to happen to you. I intend to keep my promise." The mood suddenly shifted and dad looked reprimanded as he gave Carlisle a curt nod.

I was surprised at how protective Carlisle was of me, hearing his promise to my father was a bit of a shock. I never knew they had that sort of discussion. As far as I'm aware, dad's a pretty straight-up guy, so I can't imagine any harm coming to him whilst he does what he does. But then again, I didn't know my father was part of a motorcycle club when he was younger, and the fact that he's familiar with the Mob.

Our food arrived as my phone buzzed in my pocket. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face when I read Edward's message.

**Want me to kidnap you? Jaz and I could come up with a Mission Impossible sorta situation (not with Emmett though, he's a blabbermouth and his fat ass wouldn't fit through a vent) and get you out of there in no time. Just say the word angel and I'll be there. - E**

"I bet you my left kidney that's Edward. Do you see how happy she is? Do you think I'd let my punk kid disrespect her in any way?" My attention was back to the gentlemen as Carlisle spoke.

"Dad, I promise you, I'm safe with Edward. But what I wanted to talk to you about is the fact that I won't be sitting the bar at the end of the semester. I'm done, dad. You know deep down this isn't what I want to do. I went along with it to simply please you and I was getting tired of having the same fight with you and mom over and over again. I'm not you dad, I can't become a lawyer and continue to pursue a career that isn't for me," I played around with my food as I spoke, suddenly not hungry in the slightest.

"So you're just going to throw your life away like that? And for what? I didn't bust my ass to get you into a good college for no fucking reason Isabella! And what exactly do you plan on doing with your life? Sitting at home spewing out kids?" He bellowed and a few people that were in the café turned to look at us.

"I was the one who got me into that good college dad! Me! My grades got me there because I worked my fucking ass off to get me there! The Dean creamed his pants because you've made a name for yourself and he saw dollar signs, but don't sit there and pretend I got into UoC because of your hard work." My head was pounding by this point.

"And for your information, I want to become a writer dad. I want to travel the world and write about it. I want to make a name for myself and not live under your shadow. I don't know how many more ways I can say this. I've been writing since I was a little girl dad, you've seen my work get published in school. Why can't you accept this?" I could feel my eyes water. I was so done with this. I'm fed up with fighting for myself. When he decides to pull his head out of his ass and talk to me like a grownup, then we can have a sit down again. I've done my bit and I've said my piece. It's up to him now if he wants to finally accept it.

"Is the thought of her not following in your footsteps that bad for you?" Carlisle asked.

"Would you let Edward walk away when you step down?" My dad asked. I was curious to hear the answer myself.

"If it's what he wanted then yes. I wouldn't want him to hate me for forcing him to stay in the family business. If he wants to leave then that's fine, that's his choice," Carlisle took a huge bite of his sandwich and shot me a quick wink. I turned to look at dad who looked like he was lost in thought.

I was praying that something will sink in, whether it's what I said or what Carlisle said.

"Do you mind if we get back to why you wanted to meet?" Carlisle spoke quietly after taking a sweep of the place.

"The Mayor's department has been hounding my ass for months wanting dirt. They have suddenly taken a keen interest in you and your activities in the city. I haven't got a clue as to why they think I would know something but they keep mentioning the name Hunter. I personally don't know anyone under that name apart from your old friend, but he died years ago right?" The name alone sent shivers down my back and I tried not to react. I didn't need my father knowing that Hunter has taken an interest in me- an interest that has Felix watching our every move.

"Are you sure they said Hunter?" Carlisle had the perfect poker face on.

But my dad saw right through it.

"What's going on Carl?" He kept darting his eyes between me and Carlisle.

"George had a son. His name is James but he purely goes by Hunter now. He wants his half of Chicago back. But James is unstable. Remember when I told you it was the drugs that killed George and not a rival family like the media thinks? Well, the apple doesn't fall far from that tree. I can't just hand over half of the city to some punk kid who's only going to cause more trouble. He went off the radar when George died and no one had heard from him or seen him. Until he rocked up at my house when Es threw Edward a graduation party. God knows what the kid had in his system but he was high as fuck. He's unstable but conniving. What I don't understand is why he's got the Mayor involved." Carlisle shot a quick glance in my direction but luckily my father was looking out the front window, lost in thought again.

Carlisle motioned to my phone and I quickly picked it up and saw that there was a message from him.

_How the hell did he do that?_

_**Send a message to Edward to check on Hunter's whereabouts. Something doesn't sit right. - CC**_

With a quick nod, I forwarded Carlisle's message to Edward adding the fact that my dad has been approached by the Mayor's people.

My phone rang and I excused myself from the table so I could take the call.

"My guy is keeping tabs on him. He's been at some broad's house for the past 3 hours. How are you, angel?" He was on the ball with this, it set my mind at ease knowing the fact we had eyes on him.

"I'm ok. Your dad has been amazing, I think he gave my father something to think about," I looked back at the two men, their heads were close together as they discussed something I could no longer hear.

"Are you glad you decided to come?" I could hear papers being flicked through in the background which meant that he was still at the docks.

"Yes and no. I've left the ball in his court now, so it's up to him if he decides to actually listen to me this time. What I didn't realize was how much I've missed him, so it's nice to see him in person," I trailed off as voices started to rise from my table.

"Is that them?" Edward chuckled.

"Yeah. How weird is it that our fathers are friends yet we never met each other?" I shook my head as they were laughing at something now.

_Men._

"You would have ruined me if I'd known you when we were younger. I would have been putty in your hands," he teased and I laughed at the fact that he was probably right.

"I love you, did you know that?" It felt so good to say those words to him.

"And I love you too," I could practically hear the smile in his voice. Our dads were standing up now so I told Edward I'd see him when we get back. After we hung up, I walked back over to the table and my dad was shifting on his feet.

"Was that Edward?" He asked, timidly this time. Like he was afraid to know the answer.

"Yeah," just hearing his name sent a smile to my face and my dad's shoulder sagged in defeat.

"I guess your mom and I will have to meet him soon," he quirked up his eyebrow and then shot a look at Carlisle as if to say _'don't start'_. Carlisle simply chuckled and beamed at my dad. Who would have thought the Mob Boss, who runs the whole of Chicago, can convince my hard-ass father that it's perfectly fine for his Mob son to date his innocent daughter?

My dad doesn't need to know that I wouldn't use the word innocent to describe me.

"I'm sure Esme would love to organize something for all of us," was all he said before stretching his hand out for my dad to shake and then bringing him into one of those manly one-armed-hugs. When they pulled apart, dad turned to face me.

"I'm sorry Bella. I'm glad you decided to come. It makes you a much bigger person than I am. Just…let me think things over ok? I need to wrap my head around a few things," he held his arms out and I almost pushed him over with the force of my hug. The concentrated scent of him sent me over the edge and the tears I tried so hard to hold back came pouring down.

Dad kissed the top of my head and I held on tighter.

"Alright you two, you're going to make me cry if you don't break it up. Isa, you promised me ice cream remember?" I snorted and then laughed and felt my dad shake with silent laughter as Carlisle started tapping his foot impatiently behind us.

Dad and I pulled apart and he reached up and wiped my tears with his thumbs, something he always did when I was a little girl.

After I got control of my emotions, the three of us walked out of the café and towards the parked cars. We once again said our goodbyes and Carlisle opened the passenger door for me again before getting in himself.

"I thought we could go to the park and get ice cream there," he suggested as he pulled away and drove towards the nearby park.

"Sounds good to me. Edward said they have eyes on Hunter and that he's staying at some broad's house- his words, not mine," I conveyed the message and watched Carlisle nod.

"Yeah Victoria. Her brother deals James the drugs, so they've got a fucked up little situation going. What I want to know is how the Mayor is involved in all of this and why he's snooping around," he mused.

We were sitting at a red light when his phone started ringing via the car's Bluetooth system.

"Hey Darling we're jus-" but he was cut off by Esme's hurried voice.

"Get home now! The boys, they got ambushed!" My heart sank at her words. I had literally spoken to Edward moments ago. Dark thoughts clouded my mind as Carlisle did an illegal U-turn and hauled ass back to their house.

"Shit! Are they ok?" He questioned but all I could focus on was setting eyes on Edward.

"I don't know Carlisle, it's absolutely manic here and no one is fucking telling me anything. It all happened so quick. Demetri was at ours in the office and then all hell broke loose. The surveillance feed was cut and all we could hear was gunfire and then nothing," she sobbed the last bit and I thought I was going to be sick.

"Carlisle!" I sobbed. I don't even know what I was asking of him by that point.

"It's going to be ok. I promise both of you, our boy is sharp and strong," he tried his best to soothe us both but I was on the verge of losing it.

"Bella sweetie try to keep calm. I know you're scared and so am I but Carlisle is right. Edward can take care of himself. He'll come back to us," I wasn't sure who she was trying to convince more, herself or me.

I just wanted to hear his voice again.

The world outside the car passed in a blur as Carlisle sped home. It wasn't long before we were pulling into a long driveway that was surrounded by trees. As the car got cleared through security, a beautiful mansion came into view and Esme ran out the front door to greet us.

As soon as I stepped out, I was instantly wrapped up in her loving arms. We held onto each other like a lifeline and then a much bigger and stronger pair of arms wrapped around the both of us. We stood there for a minute in complete silence, trying to gather each other's strength to get through this.

"Come inside, let me fix you a drink," she cupped my face as she spoke, and for the second time today, I had someone wipe my tears that wouldn't stop spilling.

Esme held my hand as we walked up the steps whilst Carlisle had his ear pressed to a phone and looking at a tablet that was handed to him by some guy who appeared out of thin air it seems.

I was too focused on trying to see through my tears and where I was going, to pay attention to the décor of their home, a home that Edward grew up in.

She led me into the huge kitchen and I stumbled slightly at the share size of it. We walked over to the breakfast counter and she made me sit whilst she walked over to the wall of wine bottles that were proudly displayed.

Esme grabbed us both a glass each and began opening the wine and pouring it in. The whole bottle was almost empty by the time she stopped pouring. She finished off the last bit of it straight from the bottle and then handed me my glass. My nerves made me nearly down it all in one go as every voice and bang around the house made me jump.

Esme paced in front of me, stopping now and again to take a huge sip of her wine before she carried on pacing.

"He's going to be ok…they all are…he's not an idiot…he'll come back to us…Jasper and Alice will have their wedding…Emmett and Rosalie will have their baby…Edward and Bella will get married and start a family of their own one day…yes, he'll be fine…he'll come back in once piece…my baby boy…" I don't think she realized she was thinking out loud.

I hadn't even thought about my girls in all of this. Did they even know what was going on?

We both turned when we heard a commotion from outside.

I jumped off that stool so quickly I was sure I heard it hit the marble floor but I didn't care. I heard the sound of screeching tires and my heart was in my throat.

Just as I stepped out of the house, I saw Edward get out of the car and glance at our direction.

He was here.

He was alive.

He came back to us.

He was covered in blood.

"Edward?" And my world went dark.


	21. Chapter 21

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 21**

_I jumped off that stool so quickly I was sure I heard it hit the marble floor but I didn't care. I heard the sound of screeching tires and my heart was in my throat. _

_Just as I stepped out of the house, I saw Edward get out of the car and glance at our direction._

_He was here._

_He was alive._

_He came back to us._

_He was covered in blood._

"_Edward?" And my world went dark._

"Bella please wake up, I want to see those beautiful eyes again," his angelic voice sounded so pained that it broke my heart to hear it.

I'd never fainted like that before. The stress of not knowing if he was going to come back to me was too much. And then I finally saw him, covered in blood. Blood I prayed to god wasn't his.

His fingers kept running through my hair whilst his breathing was even, soothing. I don't think he changed clothes because I could smell that metallic scent of blood all over him.

I willed my eyes to open and when they did, I was looking up at the emerald greens I was so used to.

"Edward," I whispered. There were so many emotions running through me at the moment that I couldn't focus on any of them.

There was elation at the fact that he was here.

There was fear of not knowing what had happened.

There was also confusion as to where I was.

"Where am I?" My voice croaked out, my mouth dry.

"In my old bedroom at my parents' house," he whispered back as he continued to stroke my hair.

I tried to sit up but he had slung his other arm around me and held me down.

"Not so fast. Just…lay here with me, please," his grip around me tightened as he dropped small kisses on my head.

I tried to match my breathing with his to try and calm my racing heart.

"What happened?"

We both laid there in silence as I waited for him to tell me what the hell happened.

"My hair stood on end the moment I got to the docks. I had this feeling at the pit of my stomach that something wasn't right. I was in the office looking over the shipping order when all the power was cut. My instincts kicked in and I ducked behind the door as bullets started flying. There were about a dozen guys dressed in all black and wearing ski masks shooting up the joint. As soon as I opened my office door I didn't stop shooting until every last one of them was dead. I lost a couple of my guys when the fuckers showed up." He gritted out the last part through clenched teeth as he looked behind me, his eyes focused on the wall. Even though he lay next to me, I knew he was far away.

It was some time before he spoke again.

"The best part of it all was that Felix was running the whole thing. Son-of-a-bitch thought he could outsmart me but I had my eyes on him from the get-go. There are only so many people in Chicago that are bigger than Em. I know his mannerisms, I know the way he moves, I've watched him as long as he's been watching you. He could disguise himself as much as he wants, I would have known it was him instantly. Bella, I had a fucking smile on my face as I watched the life leave his eyes. It was overkill but I didn't fucking care. He needed to fucking die and I'm glad I fucking did it!" Edward's voice rose the more he spoke about Felix and I don't think I've ever seen him like this. I saw only a fraction of his emotions the night we met, but it was nothing compared to this.

I tried to sit up again and this time he let me. I crawled over and straddled him. I took in the blood-stained shirt, the blood splatters on his face, and the soaked in blood that was on his hands. I'd never seen anything more deadly in my life.

This would frighten any other human being.

But not me.

I was getting off from his energy, his power, and his strength.

My hands fisted his hair at the same time my lips attacked his. The deeper we kissed the more I could feel his cock trapped between us. The sadist in me pulled his hair harder to elicit that delicious sound from him, that raw desire spurred me on even more.

His hands grabbed my ass and I ground into him, rocking my body above his. I was so fucking glad to have him back here with me. I refused to even think about the what-ifs. There was no time for that.

I bit on his lip as I came up for air. There was a hungry fire in his eyes that I was sure matched mine. I needed him inside me. It made me feel like a teenager again as it finally sunk in that we are on his childhood bed. There is no doubt that we would have fucked in this bed if we had known each other back then. I would have surrendered to him completely.

"Come with me," I whispered against his lips.

"Oh I'm nearly there sweetheart," he teased and I laughed. I shook my head and got off him, he pouted but sat up and moved off the bed and stood in front of me. I took hold of his hand and walked us over to the bathroom. I turned the shower on and started stripping. My clothes lay in a pile by our feet before I started undressing Edward. The shirt was still wet and I tried to ignore the strong metallic smell as I undressed him. His eyes followed my every move and I felt like my body was on fire from his gaze.

I stepped into the open shower and under the hot spray as Edward followed. I tilted my head back to wet my hair and as I looked back up at Edward, the hunger in his eyes had intensified. He pushed me against the wall and attacked my lips, his tongue claiming mine in a kiss that made my toes curl and my pussy clench. He grabbed my wrists and lifted my arms above my head, trapping me with his body. His cock was pressed tightly against my stomach as he carried on claiming my lips. I tried to move my arms so I could wrap them around him but that only made him hold them tighter.

A moan escaped me and Edward moved his searing lips to my neck so I could catch my breath. I banged my head against the wall as the feel of him was becoming too much. I tried to raise higher on my tiptoes to give his cock friction from my body. Edward seemed to have caught onto what I was doing, he carried on holding onto my wrists with one hand whilst the other lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist.

The single move alone caused his hard cock to slip inside my pussy. I was soaking wet for him and I moaned again at the feel of it going in for the first time. He didn't waste any time and began fucking me against the wall. There were no words spoken as our bodies did all the talking for us. We were both hungry for each other, even though we spent the whole of last night worshiping each other, it felt like it was never going to be enough.

We will always want more.

My back kept slapping against the tiled wall but I didn't care. All my focus was on the way his cock slipped in and out of my pussy. The way Edward was looking at where we were joined. The way his body moved as he thrust up. The way my pussy clenched his cock with every hard and deep stroke. I was enthralled by him.

I dug my heels into his ass to indicate I wanted more and he picked up his pace. He let go of my wrists and grabbed hold of my hips to get a better hold on me. My arms felt like jelly as I moved them down and around his neck, my fingers gripping the hair at the nape.

The friction from our bodies was becoming too much for my clit and my stomach began tightening as I neared closer and closer to my release.

"Edward…" his name left breathlessly from my lips. I felt that he knew what I was trying to say because he changed the angle of his trusts and it caused my body to spasm as I came around him.

His hips jerked a few more times before he stilled and finished inside me. We stayed connected as the hot water continued to run down his back. Edward rested his head on my shoulder and I held on to him tighter. This was intense, even for us. It made me wonder whether he was always like this after killing someone.

_God, I just fucked a guy who ended someone's life. What does that say about me?_

Even though I had never asked, I knew he'd killed before but I had never seen actual proof of it. All of that blood had washed down the drain as soon as he stepped into the shower. I've watched too many crime shows to know they can get DNA out from the drain.

"The blood!" I exclaimed and Edward jumped ever so slightly.

"What about it?" He looked at me quizzically.

"They could get his DNA from the drain and know it was you!" I panicked as the realization of it all actually hit me.

Edward continued to look at me with the weirdest expression on his face and then he started laughing. Like full-blown throw-your-head-back laughing. I failed to see what was so funny about it. If the cops get a whiff of what had happened today, they would have solid proof that it was Edward.

"You do make me laugh angel. The cops won't know shit. I know how to clean up. As for the drain, you watch too many tv shows, plus…a whole bottle of bleach takes care of it. This isn't my first time Bella…" he trailed off. Like I said before, it's not something we spoke about and I can see him gauging my reaction.

"How many?" I've asked him a similar question before but back then it was more to do with the number of women he's been with. Now I needed to know the number of men he's killed.

"Do you really want to know?" There was a hardness in his eyes I wasn't used to seeing.

"Yes."

"Why? Is it going to make it easier for you to sleep with me?" He retorted harshly and stepped away from me, breaking our connection. He turned the water off in the process and then he stepped out of the shower. My skin pebbled at the loss of his body heat and I tried to understand his sudden mood change.

"Don't do that. Don't try and spare my feelings now buddy. Too fucking late for that now. I didn't run before and I'm not going to run now. What the _fuck_ Edward? Just answer the question!" I was furious. I feel like we're back to square one with the constant push and pull. "I'd been worried sick ever since Esme called us to let us know something happened. Not knowing if you were going to come back to me tore me apart. It's a simple question, Edward."

His back was to me and I could see the tension in his shoulder as he tried to reign it in. I was at war with myself whether I should go over to him or let him vent further. As I stepped out, he suddenly turned to face me, his face still hard and his nostrils flaring.

"Why aren't you running Isabella? I'm a cold-blooded killer. I don't bat an eye before I pull the trigger. I get a rush out of ending a scumbag's life. Yet here you are, letting me fuck you whilst I'm covered in Felix's blood, worrying about the feds tracing it back to me. Do you not realize how fucked up that is?!" His voice rose as he stepped closer to me. He towered over me but I didn't flinch. He didn't scare me. I just can't understand why he's trying to push me away.

"Maybe you're just a dumb bitch," _that one hurt._

But my hand instinctively connected with his face.

We both stood there, our chests rose and fell with every quick breath we took. The only thing I wanted to do now was run. The one thing I told him I wouldn't do.

_How dare he call me a dumb bitch?_

I could feel my eyes begin to water and I wanted more than anything for them not to spill but I blinked and they started rolling down my cheeks. Our eyes were locked in on each other and I watched as the hardness from his eyes left and regret took its place.

My hand continued to pulse from that slap and I flinched when he took it gently into his hands. I felt the lump in my throat trying to escape, I tried my hardest to hold it back but it escaped when he brought my hand to his lips and gently kissed my pulsing palm.

Before I could think or pull my hand away, I was enveloped in his strong arms.

I crumbled and let my tears pour, my body shaking with my silent cries. The sudden onset of emotions was too much for me.

With his harsh words still ringing clear in my head, all I could focus on was the fact he came back in one piece. Every thought and feeling I bottled up whilst waiting to hear from someone finally caught up to me as I let the tears spill onto his chest.

"Shhhh sweetheart, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm so fucking grateful you're here. I'm so grateful you fucking care. I don't deserve you, angel. I love you, Bella," his emotions rang clear in the confines of the shower.

I couldn't speak just yet though, so we continued to stand there with his arms wrapped tightly around me and the feel of his wet skin clinging to mine.

"Please forgive me," he whispered into my ear and began leaving lingering kisses to the side of my head and down my neck.

There was a faint knock on the bedroom door and I could hear Esme's voice calling out.

"Everything ok in there?" She asked timidly.

Edward put his hands on my face and tilted my head up so he could see me clearly. He raised his eyebrow in question and as I closed my eyes and let the final tears slip down my face, I looked back at him and nodded.

"Yeah Ma, we'll be out in a minute," he said loud enough so that she could hear us. Edward cautiously lowered his head towards mine and gently kissed my lips. There was a small part of me that didn't want to kiss him back but it would be hypocritical of me. And I really couldn't resist the feel of his lips on mine.

I wound my hands around the nape of his neck and grabbed his hair, giving it a rough tug. I pulled his face back so that we were eye to eye.

"Don't you ever call me a bitch again," I whispered with clarity. There was a spark in his eyes again and the corner of his mouth rose up into a smirk, I could also feel his dick getting hard again so I tugged on his hair tighter.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Mmhmm, yeah baby," he smirked and I let go of his hair and stepped back. I took the towel off the rail and proceeded to dry myself, ignoring the hungry look in his eyes and the way his cock was pointing at me. I was sore as hell too so I was in no mood to entertain that again.

I watched him in the reflection from the lightly fogged up mirror as he continued to look at me.

"I really am sorry. I got caught up in the heat of the moment and shit just came out of my mouth without me thinking. Usually, after a kill, I grab a drink to wind down or a broad to help me forget shit. I'm not used to talking about the shit I do with someone. I would usually just…leave. I've never had this sort of connection with anyone before, you already know this. It threw me and I panicked. This felt so personal this time, I had a bullet with Felix's name on it since that night I brought you to my place. Ending him released a lot of pent up anger I had…like most kills do. I don't talk about it because a part of me is ashamed of the rush I get. I'm ashamed to admit it to you especially because I don't want you to think any less of me. If I had a normal life, a safe life where I didn't need to hire bodyguards to follow you…I'd do that in a heartbeat but that's not who or what I am. I can't give you normal Bella, I can't do a 9 to 5 job and be home for dinner every night. I wish I could give you all of that but I can't," he walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me again, resting his hands on my stomach.

I leaned back into him, placing my hands on top of his.

"I never asked for normal Edward. I think I'd find it boring. I love you for who you are even after knowing everything that I do. That first night we spent together before we even started fucking, my mind was already made up. You can be a fucking milkman for all I care. It's not your job or the life you live that attracted me to you, it's you. It's the way you look at me, the way you hold me, the way you assure me that everything will be ok, the way you make me feel safe. It's all of those things and more. I want to know everything there is about you and there's still so much we need to learn about each other. I really don't fucking care how long we've known each other, that means fuck all to me. I know what I feel when I'm with you or near you or even when I think about you or someone mentions your name. You set my soul alight and I love you so fucking much," I laid out my heart for him once more. He needs to realize how sure I am of him and of us. I don't expect our relationship to be all sunshine and daisies, but I just hope he realizes that he can rely on me to be there for him, through thick and thin.

"Marry me."

"What?"


	22. Chapter 22

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 22**

"_Marry me."_

"_What?"_

"Marry me. I don't know about you but I don't want to be with anyone else. I want everything you just said, I feel everything you just said. Marry me, Isabella, spend the rest of your life with me." He began lowering himself down on one knee but I was in too much shock to stop him or even say anything.

_This is definitely not how I thought today was going to go down. I mean, we were literally arguing not 5 minutes ago and now he wants me to marry him?_

"Edward, do you realize what you're saying?" _Surely this is some sort of dream, right?_

"Yes, I know perfectly well what I'm saying. I fucking love you so much, I don't ever want to lose you. I want you to have my family's name. I want to be bound to you for life because I'm only ever going to do this once, and that's with you," he pulled me closer by the hand to the point where my thighs were touching his chest. We're both still as naked as the day we were born and Edward has the biggest smile on his face as he's looking up at me.

I meant every word I said to him earlier, he is it for me.

"Yes," I uttered quietly whilst looking into his emerald eyes.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" My voice rose louder and louder and suddenly, I was off the floor as he swept me off my feet and spun me around the small room. I couldn't hold in my laughter at how crazy this is and at how happy I am right now. I felt like my love for him grew 100 times more just now.

Our lips crashed together as he continued to hold me in his arms. We were both smiling into the kiss and I wanted nothing more than to run away to Vegas and elope.

"I can't believe this!" I couldn't control my excitement as the realization was setting in.

"Believe it, angel! I'm sorry I haven't got a ring for you but I promise you, I will get a ring on that finger of yours before you know it. How long should we wait before I can get you in that white dress and call you my wife?" God, just hearing him call me his wife was making the butterflies in my stomach kick up a storm. My cheeks were starting to hurt from how much I was smiling.

"I don't think I'll be able to wait too long before I can call you my husband. Oh my god! I can't believe this. I never thought I'd be getting married so soon. I thought we would do more shit together and then maybe settle down. Gosh, this is all happening so quickly. It's the right thing to do though right?" Panic was starting to set in. What if we start resenting each other? What if we jumped into it too soon? I always told myself that if I ever got married, I would only do it once. I would do everything in my power to make my marriage work if shit happened to hit the fan. Even back when mom tried to set me up with her country club hussy sons, I swore I would try my hardest to make it work.

"It feels right Bella. Living by some sort of timeline never fit in with us. This feels so fucking good baby, I've never been more sure of anything in my life. We can still do all the shit you want to do, we'll just be doing them as husband and wife. Bella, do you realize that us being married makes you untouchable? The families all live by a code, wives, and children cannot be harmed. Do you know what a relief it is knowing you'll always be safe?" I saw his eye glisten slightly with unshed tears and I don't think I've ever seen such raw emotion in him before.

My safety has always been the cause of most of our arguments. The realization at what he was saying felt like the constant sword over my head was finally being lifted.

Today has been such a whirlwind of emotions, I didn't bother holding back the tears this time.

"Please baby no more tears," he tried to wipe them but they kept on coming.

"Happy tears Edward, I promise," I leaned forward so I could kiss him and he met me halfway. I opened my mouth so his tongue could caress mine and moaned at the taste of him. He was my addiction and I have no plans of giving him up.

Alice and Jasper's quick engagement didn't seem so crazy now. I definitely don't want to steal their thunder with this, I'm happy to wait until after their wedding before we announce anything or actually get married.

"My dad is going to kill you," I suddenly said as I pulled back. Oh god, he's going to kill us both once he finds out.

"I'm not scared of your father Bella. He can't do shit. You're an adult and you can make your own decisions. He's just going to have to accept it. I don't care if he disapproves of me. As long as you still want him in your life, I can play nice," he said with finality. Edward is right, we'll just cross that bridge when we get to it.

"When can we tell everyone?" He was so giddy with excitement; I almost didn't want to tell him I'd rather we wait.

"About that…do you mind if we announce it after Alice and Jasper's wedding? I really don't want it to overshadow their day. It's only a couple more weeks and we'll be flying out to Vegas to celebrate our best friends. Then we can tell the whole world if you want." I beamed at him; my excitement is written all over my face.

"Ok, I guess I can wait. Just so you know, my mom will know something's up though," he smirked at me and then carried me out of the bathroom and back into his room where he laid me down on the bed. He stepped back and grabbed my ankles before I could blink, he had me flipped over onto my stomach and he dragged me down to the edge of the bed.

"All I want now is to bury my cock deep inside you and hear you scream my name," he whispered against my ear as he wrenched my head back by my hair and closer to his mouth, making my back arch.

"Oh fuck," I managed to utter as he entered me from behind, his pelvis smacking loudly against my ass in the process.

_Thank god we're on the third floor._

_Because damn that feels good._

* * *

After a second shower where we still couldn't keep our hands off each other, we finally made our way back downstairs in search of Esme and Carlisle. Edward's hands were constantly on my ass as we walked around the house looking for his parents and I didn't have the heart in me to tell him to behave. He looked so peaceful and carefree, I wanted to bottle it all up as long as I can before we're hit with anything else. Let's face it, it hasn't been easy for us from the get-go.

First it was Felix, who has now been dealt with.

Then there was my old English professor Michael, whose status I don't know actually. Edward and I never spoke about him since that night. I wonder what happened there?

Last but not least, Hunter, still someone I've never met but has taken an interest in me. But I'm just a pawn in his fucked up plan to get back what is owed to him.

Right now, I didn't want to think about any of that. I want to bask in the fact that Edward has proposed to me. Not the way I had imagined it but I wouldn't change it for the world. It seems like raw emotions bring us closer together. We let each other know what we're really feeling in the heat of it all but I guess that's just us and how we work.

Edward was relentless with his groping and I found myself caged against a wall as his body covered me. His hands roamed up and down my waist whilst his lips left a wet trail down my neck. My clit continued to pulse for him, it hadn't stopped since our second shower, to be honest. One thing for sure though, I wasn't going to let him get carried away out in the open like this. We had to at least try and be respectful in his parents' house.

He was just about to put his hand up my top when Esme spoke out of nowhere.

"There you two are. Bella sweetie I hope you're feeling better. Edward your father wants you in the office, I can keep Bella company whilst you go…play," she was glaring at him but in a playful way. I was sure my face had turned beet red with embarrassment at getting caught like that.

I really didn't want Esme to think I was a hussy. She doesn't need a front-row seat to our sex life.

Edward slyly pressed himself against me before backing away as he walked backward towards Esme. The bulge in his jeans was very evident and I hope he wasn't going to turn around and let Esme see it.

"Take good care of her mom. She's special," he maneuvered passed Esme, and turned a corner before she could see that snake between his legs.

My gaze remained on the corner he just turned to as I tried to clear my head from the Edward fog.

"It's a Cullen thing, you'll get used to it," Esme teased as she wound her arm through mine and led me back into the kitchen. Our drinks were refilled and I sat at the breakfast bar again and waited for Esme and their housekeeper Jane to finish discussing dinner ideas for tonight. It looked like Edward and I were staying.

"Bella dear are you hungry?" Esme turned to face me.

"I'm fine thank you, Esme. I'll wait for dinner," I beamed at her. It was either the great sex, our engagement, or the wine but I was feeling fine as hell, and so god damned happy I could burst.

"Ok follow me then, let me show you pictures of Edward when he was a baby, you're gonna want a little clone of him once you see them!" She grabbed another whole bottle of wine and I jumped off the high stool and followed her into a living room that looked more lived-in than the lavish one I got a peek into earlier whilst Edward and I were looking for Carlisle and Esme.

I got comfortable on the sofa whilst Esme walked over to the cabinet and pulled out two large photo albums. I felt a warm feeling inside as she sat next to me and scooted closer. Esme mirrored my position and giggled like a little girl as she opened the first album and placed it between us so I could see it clearly. The first picture was of baby Edward asleep in a bassinet, his cherub face turned to the side as sunlight through the window illuminated his angelic sleeping face.

"This was the first day we brought him home. He was such a calm baby; I wouldn't let him out of my sight for a second. I kept checking to see if he was breathing constantly because he hardly made any noise. After the miscarriages before he came along, I was a nervous wreck that something might happen to him. I thought god had an evil plan for me and would never let me be a mother…" she trailed off as she ran her index finger down and around his little face. My heart broke for the pain she and Carlisle must have gone through before Edward.

I laid my head on her shoulder in support and she turned to the next page. It was a picture of a younger Carlisle with a sleeping Edward on his chest. He looked more like the Carlisle from what I remember when I was little. Edward's mouth was open and his little cheek was pressed lovingly against Carlisle's chest as Carlisle kissed the top of his head.

"These pictures are beautiful Esme, did you have a professional photographer at your beck and call?" I teased and my head bounced on her shoulder as she laughed.

"No baby girl, I took these. It was a hobby of mine. I've got a whole box of pictures that didn't make the album cut where I documented pretty much every day of Edward's life until he wouldn't let me take any more," she laughed at what was probably a fond memory.

I could just imagine, a young Edward no longer wanting to have his picture taken because he thought it was lame.

She carried on flicking through the pages and as she said, she captured almost every stage of his baby years. There were pictures of the first Christmas and birthday. Pictures of family gatherings and parties where both Carlisle and Edward wore matching tuxedos. I was sure that one caused my ovaries to weep at how cute it was. Esme was right, I'm looking forward to having my own mini Edward one day.

There were pictures of Edward doing random and silly things as he was growing up, it looked like he was always up to something. We both laughed and cried as we looked through them.

There was one particular picture of Edward in what looked like a private school uniform. He wore little camel-colored shorts with white socks and a navy and maroon jacket with the school's emblem on it. In the picture, he was pulling on the tie and his front teeth were missing. My heart melted at the sight of him and I wished he was here with me.

The last picture in the first album was of a much older Edward, I'd say he was about 10 or 11 and I could see he was starting to hate the pictures being taken because he hardly smiled anymore in the last few.

"Oh no, I've seen that face before," I laugh as I bring the album closer to get a better look.

"Ah yes, this is when he would no longer smile for the camera or let me take them. I had to get creative with capturing them from then on, you'll see what I mean in the next album," Esme put the first album on the coffee table and then reached for the wine bottle and topped our glasses up.

We cheered and she told me a few more stories about Edward when he was little, how she tied little mitts to his hands when he got chickenpox because he wouldn't stop scratching them. He told her he didn't care that it would scar, he said all big boys had scars and he wanted them too. My heart swelled just hearing all these stories about him. I felt like I was getting to know him better.

The first picture in the second album had a gloomy-looking Edward as Esme and Carlisle stood behind him with their hands on his shoulders, posing for a family picture. He had the tell-tale look of someone not wanting to smile because they had braces. I've been there myself so I know that look fairly well.

"The brace faze," I said quietly and Esme burst into laughter.

"Yes! How did you know?" She continued to laugh as she threw her head back on the sofa and turned her head to look at me.

"Believe it or not, I wasn't born with these straight pearly whites like I like people to think," I winked at her and took a big gulp of my wine before giving her a toothy grin. She made me feel so at ease, the way a mother is supposed to make you feel.

"God he hated them, and us for making him wear them. He was a cheeky little shit though, he had Nonna wrapped around his little finger and every time he had them tightened, he turned into a baby and she loved to mother him, made him his favorite soft foods so it wouldn't hurt to eat, because god forbid if her Edward Anthony didn't eat because his teeth hurt," we both started cackling like hyenas, I had literal tears running down my face from laughter. The wine was definitely getting to my head.

We carried on flicking through the album and I watched as Edward got older, the glimmer in his eyes was slowly disappearing the further we flicked. His features hardened, he shot up overnight and there were fewer and fewer pictures of him smiling. There were pictures of both him and Jasper playing video games, pictures of Edward and Emmett wrestling in the garden, pictures of all three boys turning into men as they stood by the front door in suits. I guessed it was prom night. Emmett wore sunglasses and tried to act cool whilst Edward looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Jasper looked at ease like he usually does as he had his arm slung around Edward's shoulders.

There were no girls in those pictures and I wondered whether the guys went to pick them up.

God if I had known Edward back then, I wouldn't have lost my v card to him on prom night for sure. I was positive he had girls eating out the palm of his hands that night. He had lost all traces of baby face and was starting to look like the Edward I know now.

"God he must have been a heartbreaker back then," I thought out loud and Esme snorted.

"He was, I had girls' mothers constantly calling me asking why Edward hadn't called their daughters back. Girls would turn up at the house asking for him, there were even a few fights right outside our doorstep because more than once, two to three girls at a time would show up looking for Casanova only to realize he was seeing all of them at the same time." The mental image was amusing and I couldn't blame them.

"I'm sure you've noticed how quick Edward grew up in these pictures, how little he would smile and the spark in his eyes had gone. I never thought I'd ever see that spark return until you came along. Bella, you don't know the change we see in him. He's a completely different man, you make him so happy sweetheart. He rung the house phone in the middle of the night one day and I thought the worst had happened but he called to let us know he met someone and he was shit scared of messing it up. He wanted to have a chat with Carlisle, you know man-to-man, but Carlisle had put the phone on loudspeaker instead so I heard everything. God sweetheart I don't know what you did but he was head over heels in awe of you. I don't know if he even realized it was _love_ he was feeling. I know he has never been in love so that's probably why he panicked. He was talking a mile a minute, warring with himself about what he should do, should he let you go or run after you. He wanted to keep you safe. He thought he doesn't deserve a girl like you, that you wouldn't want to be caught up in this life. He wouldn't even tell us your name for Christ's sake," she laughed and nudged my shoulder.

"I so badly wanted to tell him he should trust his gut feeling and just go with it but he didn't know I was listening in. But Carlisle told him exactly that. He asked if Edward trusts you and he said he did, but couldn't understand why. Carlisle told him that when the right woman comes along, you want to share everything with her, you would do anything and everything to make sure she's safe. I'm going to try my hardest and not meddle, but I really hope to call you my daughter one day," her voice broke and when I looked up, her eyes were glossy with tears as they darted to my left hand quickly before she looked back at me. I wondered if she knew, or suspected something.

I very nearly blurted it out but we were interrupted by Edward who strolled over to us and placed a kiss on our foreheads before he sat on the coffee table in front of us. He kept looking between us both and our watery eyes and then at the photo albums beside us.

"Oh no, what have I just walked into?" He groaned and dropped his head into his hands which made Esme and I laugh, we laughed harder than was appropriate but that was probably the wine more than anything.

"I was just showing Bella your scrawny ass when you were little," Esme teased as she regained her composure and took one more swing of wine as she stood up and ran her fingers through Edward's hair.

"You should get a trim," she mumbled before patting his shoulder and walking out of the living room, saying something about checking on dinner.

And then we were left alone again.

I couldn't stop the smile on my face from spreading as I looked at him. His hair was getting a little long but I like it, it was something to grab onto as he rocked my world.

"I take it we're staying for dinner," he said as he moved forward and rested his hands on my knees in front of him. I just nodded as I placed my hands on top of his.

"Who did you take to prom?" I asked as I tilted my head to the side. He rolled his eyes and then glanced at the still open photo album.

"I think her name was Stacey, or maybe it was Emily, fuck baby I don't know I can't remember. There were a lot of girls…at the time…" he at least looked embarrassed about it but I couldn't help but laugh as it confirmed what Esme was saying.

"Would you have fucked me at the back of your car if we'd gone to prom together?" I asked.

"Would you have let me?" He asked back and tilted his head to the side, eyeing me up like I was his next meal.

"Fuck yeah, I would have let you do anything you wanted. You're a dangerous creature, Edward Cullen," I teased and bit my bottom lip as my eyes traveled down his body.

"If we would have known each other back then, there wouldn't have been any other girls Bella, I hope you know that. You're like a wet dream personified. And now I get to keep you and someday soon call you my wife," he said quietly in case anyone was in earshot. I leaned forward and captured his lips in mine. My kiss was hungry and I poured everything that I was feeling right this second into it. I wanted to get lost in him again and I wished more than anything to get him on this sofa and climb on top of him.

"Fuck, Edward, I want you," I moaned against his lips and saw him palm his cock and shift a little.

"I can't wait to get you home and fuck you again," he whispered against my lips and then took my bottom lip in between his.

"Kids, dinner's ready!" Esme's voice rang out from somewhere and we pulled apart.

"We'll finish this later," he grunted out as we stood up.

"Promise?" I teased and laughed as he smacked my ass before he threw his arm around my shoulders and we walked into the dining room to find Esme and Carlisle already sat at the table.

Edward pulled my chair out for me and then sat next to me, he reached out to grab a serving of food but Esme smacked his hand away and I swear he nearly growled and said "What the fuck ma?"

"Wait for Jasper and Emmett," she scolded him and then turned to look at the said men as they both walked into the dining room. Emmett held an icepack to his crotch whilst Jasper's hand was covered in gauze and he had a small cut on his forehead. They both walked over and kissed the top of my head before they sat opposite Edward and me. I didn't even realize they were here. I wondered what had happened to Emmett as he winced when he sat down and continued to keep the ice pack on his crotch.

"Now that you're all here, please put your guns and phones on the tray in front of you so we can have a peaceful dinner for once," she gave them all a bitch brow and I watched as 4 huge men grumbled and pulled guns from the back of their trousers and placed it on a silver tray followed by their phones. I had no idea where my phone was so I didn't follow suit.

They were all mumbling something underneath their breath and I tried extremely hard not to laugh. Edward once again tried to reach out for the food but Esme smacked his hand away again.

"I'm not an idiot Edward Anthony, the other one too, you too Jasper, I know about the one strapped to your ankle," she took no shit from these boys and I want to be her when I grow up. A laugh escaped me and five sets of eyes shot to look at me. Both Carlisle and Esme were smiling at me whilst the other three had their eyebrows quirked up in question.

"Is no one going to ask me to put my gun away too?" I have no idea what made me say this.

"Are you carrying angel?" Edward asked in amusement.

"Since these rules don't seem to apply to me, I guess you'll never know," I winked at him and the whole table burst into laughter.

"Ok everyone, dig in," were Carlisle's final words before chaos ensued as the boys fought over food, even though there was plenty to go around.

I was basking in what feels like a strong family dynamic, something I've never been a part of. Most of the time I ate my dinners alone the older I got as mom and dad had dinner parties and other events to go to. Sitting right here right now, I vowed to myself that I will always make sure to be at home for dinner time with my own family.

* * *

"Drive home safe ok? Emmett, give Rose my love and bring her round next time. Jasper, please let Alice know that the dress designer is in town tomorrow if she wants to meet her. And you two, please take care of each other. I love you all," Esme hugged me one more time before we all piled into Jasper's car.

I sat at the back with Edward, my hand clutched tightly in his as I rested my head against his shoulder.

Emmett bitched and moaned that his dick hurt and I shook my head as he once again recalled that he got kneed in the balls by some 'punk kid'.

"You won't be able to go near Rose with a sore dick Em, you might as well sleep on the couch," I mumbled through a yawn. I was absolutely shattered and I couldn't wait to crawl into bed.

"Ha ha, very funny, Bella. For your information, I can make Rosie feel good without using my dick," he boasted and then stuck his tongue out at me and wiggled it for emphasis.

"Ew, gross, Em, I didn't need to know that," I covered my eyes and the guys laughed at me.

We dropped Emmett off first and then Jasper dropped us at the club. We bid him goodnight and made our way inside. It was a weird but nice feeling knowing I'll never have to see Felix again. Edward actually took a key out to open the door and it threw me a little.

"Is no one here tonight?" I wondered.

"It was supposed to be Felix but you know what happened there, and Seth can't do tonight. Don't worry, baby, we'll be fine," he kissed my temple and then locked the door behind us once we stepped through. There was a steady thump as the music vibrated through the walls whilst we walked to the elevator.

Once the metal box opened up and we stepped through, I was leaning my whole weight against Edward for support. He wrapped his arms around me and we reached his floor in no time. The apartment was illuminated by moonlight as it shone through the huge windows to the point where we didn't even need to turn the lights on.

We walked into the bedroom and started stripping. There were no more words exchanged between us as we climbed into bed and into each other's arms. I lay with my head on his chest, trying to match my breathing with Edward's. His hand was lazily trailing up and down my arm and I was on the brink of falling asleep when he spoke.

"120." Was all he said.

"Huh?" I asked incoherently.

"120, that's how many men have died by my hands." I now understood his reluctance earlier.

_Wow. It definitely wasn't a number I had thought it could be._

"Okay."

"Okay? Bella I had-"

"Edward, it's okay. It's okay," I repeated as I leaned up and kissed his lips. He continued to stare at me but I wasn't going to say anything else about it. That number doesn't change how I feel about him in the slightest.

I kissed his chest where his heart is and laid my head on it again.

"I love you, baby," I mumbled as the rhythm of his heart was lulling me to sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N I'm so sorry this has taken so long to post! I can't thank you all enough for the love and support you have given my little story, it means the world to me!**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 23**

Edward and I fell into a routine, when he worked, so did I. After giving it some thought, I didn't want to give up all these years spent studying law. I was going to see this year through to the end. I wasn't a quitter. Edward kept pushing me to keep going during days where I just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep the day away.

It's been a couple of weeks since we started living together and most of my stuff was slowing moving into his apartment. I was positive I'd be moving back into the sorority house but Edward reminded me that Hunter was still out there. Felix was never the real threat according to Edward, so he wanted me to stay. If I was being honest with myself, I didn't want to move back. I've gotten used to sharing a bed with Edward and it would be weird to sleep alone again.

He was generous enough to give me more wardrobe space, ok well technically he had no choice because the meek drawer he offered me, in the beginning, was overflowing very quickly. But he was a good sport and didn't even bat an eye as more and more of my stuff filled his space. I caught him looking through my underwear drawer once, it led him to tying me up with said underwear after he asked me to model a few pieces for him. Edward took me out to lunch one day and actually took me into Victoria's Secret where he hired out a private fitting room and sat out on a plush two-seater, admiring every flimsy piece of fabric I put on my body. He decided I needed everything I modeled and wasted no time paying for it all.

I've already thrown a few of those pieces out because he took great pleasure in tearing them off my body.

Every day he continued to propose to me and every time I would say yes. More than once I nearly slipped up with my girlfriends and blurted it out but always managed to cover it up. Luckily.

We were getting closer and closer to Alice and Jaspers nuptials and I was getting excited about the fact that we'll be going to Vegas. Unfortunately, Esme and Carlisle were not going to make it like originally planned. Carlisle didn't want to leave Chicago and Esme thinks it would be best if the adults didn't crash the party. We all told her she was being silly but she was adamant that she'll stay at home with Carlisle and then whisk us away to the Hamptons once we're back. I think the Hamptons would be the perfect opportunity to tell everyone about our plans.

My left-hand wedding finger was still ringless and every day I wondered when Edward was going to give me the ring. I'd catch him looking at my left hand a lot and he seemed to want to hold that one the most too, it was sweet. Gosh, I never thought I'd turn into that girl, the one that gushed about getting married and wearing an engagement ring. I hardly ever thought about those things but Edward was changing me, and I like who I'm becoming. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I hated who I was before Edward came into my life, but this side of me is warmer and more welcoming to sharing a life with someone. I had always envied Rose and Emmett's relationship, but I think I've got something better.

"Bella?" I heard his Italian shoes on the marble floor as he called out my name.

"In the office," I called back as I kept watching the reality show on the office wall.

I was currently immersed in what was a live sex show carried out by a couple of the staff members that worked at the club. There was a camera that was in the hall of the stock area and this guy had this girl pinned up against the wall with his hand down her pants, eating each other's faces. It's not like I set out looking for it, I happened to walk past the office and it caught my eye. Now I just couldn't look away.

"What are you-" he stopped talking as he looked at the screen. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" He grumbled and then grabbed the remote from his desk and rewound the recording a little. We both watched as the guy peeked his head out from behind a door to check if the coast was clear and then he walked out with the girl traipsing behind him. He shuts the door and then pushes her against the wall and they start making out, he's biting her chin and everything and she's trying to climb him like a tree and that's the bit that caught my eye as I was walking by.

"I was literally there 15 minutes ago. What the fuck is wrong with them? This is the third time this prick has taken a girl back there," Edward grumbled as he fast-forwarded back to the live feed of it and the chick was just about to go down on the guy when the door handle started rattling as someone tried to get in. This was better than anything they showed on an actual TV.

"You saying you've never had the urge to fuck someone and not care where you are as long as you just get some?" I teased as the grumbled look remained on his face.

"I wouldn't fucking do it at the place I work though angel," he retorted.

"Do you forget the night you told me you love me and then fucked me against your desk in the office?" I laughed at how the pot was calling the kettle black.

"That's different, I own the place and no one would have ever caught us. What they're doing is moronic, neither of them is going to get off now," he barked out and then started mumbling something under his breath. I continued to laugh at him and he changed the live feed to another camera angle.

"Hey! I was watching that!" I retorted and laughed harder at the look on Edward's face.

"Behave Isabella." Gosh, that voice, and the way he said my name was making my gym leggings very uncomfortable. Times like this I could eat him alive. You'd think that with the amount of sex we have, I would have had enough of it but no. I want this man day and night and he knows just what to say or do to make me rip his clothes off. We were still very much in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. I hope it never fades.

"What are your plans for today?" He asked as he looked at something on the computer and his eyebrows knitted together at whatever he was seeing.

"I'm going to do a quick workout before Emmett is picking me up with Rose and Alice to go to her first sonogram," I sat down in one of the plush chairs in front of the desk and patiently waited for him to look back at me and not at the screen. He looked like he was getting angrier and angrier by what he saw.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"The fucking guy I have on Hunter lost him for 2 hours yesterday. I swear to fucking god if you want shit done you have to do it yourself," he was furious and his face was making the situation in my gym leggings unbearable. I shifted in the chair and his eyes shot up to look at me. They slowly made their way down from my face to my crotch and the slight movements I was making whilst rubbing my thighs together.

"Can I help your little situation there Isabella?" His voice dropped a little and he moved from behind the desk and stalked over to me. It was like he was attuned to me; he could sense every time I wanted him.

"It's nothing I can't take of myself when I'm in the shower," I teased, my voice dropping to a sultry tone.

"That's why you have me, baby, I can take care of those needs. All you have to do is ask Isabella," he caged me with his arms, I could taste his scent on my tongue with how close we were. I closed my eyes and reveled at the electrical charge that was constantly around us when we were this close.

I moaned when his lips touched mine, my fingers instinctively shot out to his hair as I held him closer. I opened my mouth to give him access and he deepened the kiss. It made my toes curl with how good it feels to kiss him and be kissed by him like that. I will never get enough of him.

Edward pulled back just a little and knelt in front of me. He placed his hands on the waistband of my leggings and started pulling them down. I lifted my hips to help him and before I knew it, my legs and pussy were bare in front of him. He placed his hands on my hips and scooted me closer to the edge of the chair. He then spread my legs apart, putting each leg over the armrests of the chair as I sat there spread open for him. Edward leaned in closer and gave me another searing kiss before he pulled back again and leaned in towards my waiting pussy. I wanted to scream in pleasure as his tongue made contact with my aching clit.

Having him take care of my little problem was definitely better than doing it myself. He knew my pussy so well by now, he knew exactly what would make me scream his name, or pull his hair harder, or bite the side of his arm when he fucks me. He always awoke this primal need in me that only he knew how to handle. I've left red marks on his back numerous times and he wore them like a badge of honor. I've had marks on my tits and ass and the inside of my thighs too and I loved seeing them on me.

He continued to please me with his tongue and eventually added those knowing fingers too. Whilst his tongue kept lapping at my clit and his fingers continued to pump in and out of me, I could distinctively hear the vibration of his phone in his jacket. He growled against my pussy and I thrashed in the chair as the sensation sent me over the edge. My hands shot out to my tits and I pulled on my nipples whilst he helped me ride out my orgasm. When I looked up at Edward I watched as he slipped his fingers out of me and into his mouth. I moaned at the sight of him tasting me, the need to rip his clothes off was stronger than ever.

I could still hear his phone vibrating and I knew he was busy today with club shit as he put it, so I didn't jump him like I wanted to. Edward moved my legs off the chair arms and moved to give me a kiss on the lips. It was quick but I could still taste myself on him. Edward stood up and moved over to where my leggings lay and handed them to me. He shot me a wink and then pulled his phone out.

"This better be fucking good," he barked into the phone and I giggled at the change in demeanor. I don't know why he doesn't just hire someone to run the club for him. He was frustrated with it more than anything but I also know he wouldn't give it up because it was a legitimate business and it genuinely brought in a lot of money.

We were spread out on the couch one day when he decided to show me the figures. I was glad he trusted me enough to share that information with me. But when I asked him about his other business, he wasn't as forthcoming. It hurt at first but then he explained his reasons for not wanting me to know. He said that if the police ever decided to bring me in for questioning, I genuinely wouldn't know anything about it and it would be easier if I'm kept in the dark regarding the Mob side of the business.

That opened a whole new door of questions for me. When I asked him if the police had ever brought him in for questioning, he laughed and actually said the word 'duh'. It was so out of character for him that I burst out laughing too. He told me all the stupid reasons the cops had for bringing him in. They stopped him whilst he was driving, claiming he was driving over the speed limit but he was actually sitting in traffic at the time. They once brought him in for jaywalking and that was the most ridiculous one because he simply stepped off the curb to get into his car. They also brought him in for 'assaulting' an office who Edward said was in civilian clothing and on his day off and that he simply barged him a little as they crossed paths, but the prick still called it in and had his buddies cuff Edward.

The stories carried on, getting more and more ridiculous and it made me realize that they were constantly watching him. He was their wet dream. I know Edward isn't innocent but it sounded like they were desperate to just charge him for something to keep him cuffed longer. His lawyer must be swimming in it with the number of times he's had to come to the station and have Edward released. Edward said they have a code for when shit like this happens.

I checked the time and realized I won't be able to do my work out because Emmett and the girls will be here soon. I didn't bother with putting my leggings back on so I walked out of the office with my naked ass on show and I took my top off on the way to the bedroom. I heard Edward groan behind me and I laughed and swayed my hips a bit more to tease him further.

I quickly slipped into a nude bodysuit and jumped into my favorite pair of distressed blue jeans. I heard the intercom go off as I put on my heeled boots.

"The guys are here Bella!" Edward shouted out. I looked into the mirror and my hair was like a bird's nest so I quickly fixed it by tying it up. I walked out of the bedroom to find everyone in the living room. Alice bounced on the spot whilst Rose looked green, Emmett couldn't stop smiling as he rubbed circles on Rose's back whilst he spoke to Edward.

"Rose you ok?" I asked. She looked up at me and shook her head, her hand shot up to her mouth and she shot off the couch and ran past me into the bathroom.

"Morning sickness is kicking her ass apparently," Alice mumbled and she didn't look too great herself. Alice didn't do vomit.

"Yeah it seems like everything is setting her off, she cut me off completely, she won't let me near her," Emmett grumbled as he stood up and made his way to the bathroom. Edward had a smug smile on his face and didn't feel sorry for his best friend in the slightest.

"Try not to look too smug baby, just because you're getting it on the regular doesn't mean you need to shove it in his face." I teased as I poked his chest.

"Serves him right, do you know how long Jazz and I had to listen to him boast about his sex life? And quit poking me woman, that shit hurts," he whined and I moved to poke him again but his reflexes were quicker than mine and he caught my wrist in his hand and pinned it behind my back. His eyes looked smoldering as they kept darting between my lips and my cleavage.

"Down baby," I whispered so Alice wouldn't hear.

"I didn't come here for a sex show guys, reign it in would ya?" Alice covered her eyes but was laughing at the same time. Before we could say anything, the parents-to-be stepped out of the bathroom and made their way back over to us.

"You girls ready?" Emmett asked as he held Rose's hand who had managed to get some color back in her cheeks.

"Yeah, just gotta pry Bella out of Edward's horny hands," Alice joked and Edward snickered whilst I leaned forward and placed my lips on his pulse point, leaving a kiss there whilst I inhaled his intoxicating scent.

"Won't be long baby, I'll let you know once we're done," he nodded and I kissed him and then stepped back as we walked over to the elevator and got in. I kept an eye on Rose as the motion of the elevator wasn't doing her any favors. Once we descended and stepped out, I noticed Demetri was waiting for us, or Edward more likely. I noticed they shared a look and then the scowl was back on Edward's face. Something was bothering him and I was going to have to wait to find out what it was.

He gave me a heated kiss as we stood outside Emmett's car. When we pulled apart the question was evident in my eyes.

"Not now," was all Edward said before he stepped away and opened the door for me to climb in. I nodded and got in, keeping my eyes on him as he shut my door and stepped away from the car. Emmett was saying something to him but Edward just kept looking at me whilst he answered Emmett.

"Is everything ok between you guys?" Rose asked from the front.

"Yeah, everything's great actually but something's bothering him. I'll get it out of him later, this is all about you right now babe," I beamed at her and she was literally glowing before my eyes. Her hand absentmindedly started rubbing her tiny bump and she looked so happy.

"Everything ok with you and Em?" I asked and the three of us turned to look out the window at Emmett and Edward who were deep in conversation with Demetri.

"Yeah, he's been so supportive, I kinda feel bad for cutting him off. I just feel so disgusting sometimes and the last thing I want is sex," she admitted.

"I'm sure the further along you get, you'll want to jump him again soon. He'll live," Alice retorted and the three of us snickered. Rose leaned over to the driver's side and honked and started pointing at her wrist to indicate we would be late if he didn't hurry up. Edward laughed at Emmett who flipped him off and then walked over and climbed into the car. Edward winked at me as we reversed out of the alley and I blew him a kiss in response.

Emmett drove like a crazy person and I noticed that Rose was green again, she kept telling him to slow down and kept smacking him but he told her to sit back and not worry about it. They were like a married couple and it was highly entertaining. The drive to the clinic took no time at all, Alice and I continued to laugh at Emmett and Rosalie arguing the whole way there, which we soon realized we were probably watching their foreplay.

Once Emmett found a parking spot that was suitable for Rose, we all climbed out of the car and went inside. The clinic was aesthetically pleasing with warm tones and bright lights, even the check-in counter had flowers and pictures hung up that little kids have drawn. There was an elderly lady sat behind the counter, her glasses looked like they were made from magnifying glass and it made her eyes look comically huge. Emmett and I were on the same wavelength as he snorted at the same time that I let out a small giggle. Rose turned to look at us and she has already perfected the mom glare.

Rose signed in and then we all walked over to the waiting area for her to be called. She was advised to drink plenty of fluids before the appointment and all she kept talking about was how much she needed to use the restroom. I knew she was judging all the women at the clinic as she and Alice kept commenting on what they were wearing, which brought on a conversation about maternity wear and a shopping trip on the horizon.

Emmett was the only guy at the clinic and all these hormonal women kept staring at him. He secretly loved the attention and was soaking it all up. A part of me was glad Edward wasn't here, otherwise, I'd have to kill a bitch.

The conversation eventually turned to the upcoming wedding and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face just thinking about planning my own soon. It was seriously getting harder and harder to keep it from them.

I was positive Esme knew, I'd get strange cryptic messages from her and whenever Edward and I would see his parents, they'd give us these knowing looks and more than once, Carlisle started referring to me as his daughter. It warmed my heart that they both accepted me so quickly. I know Carlisle has known me since I was a little girl but my dad cut those ties, I was just glad we were able to fall into an easy relationship like no time has passed.

I'd occasionally overhear heated conversations about the future between Edward and Carlisle and I always wondered whether Carlisle was offering Edward a way out. After those conversations, Edward was a bit more tender in the bedroom. He would take me in his arms and start stripping me off my clothes and neither of us would say a word. There was this look that would come over his face and I knew instantly that he's had a chat with Carlisle. He would often hold me tighter after and repeat the fact that he loves me. I haven't had the heart to ask him what these conversations were about though. Once he's ready, he'll tell me.

The sliding double doors opened and a woman with bright fiery hair walked through with a Doctor who was guiding her back to the front desk. She had a prominent bump that was sticking out from under her sweater just a little as she scheduled another appointment. I wasn't sure what it was, but something about her caught my attention.

"Miss Carter, we need to update your emergency contact details. Am I to assume the baby's father should be contacted in case of an emergency?" The elderly lady asked.

"Yes. Sorry, I must have forgotten to fill that part out." She answered in a soft tone.

"Not to worry, what's his name?" The elderly lady smiled warmly at her.

"James Hunter."

_Oh shit._


	24. Chapter 24

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 24**

_The sliding double doors opened and a woman with bright fiery hair walked through with a Doctor who was guiding her back to the front desk. She had a prominent bump that was sticking out from under her sweater just a little as she scheduled another appointment. I wasn't sure what it was, but something about her caught my attention._

_"Miss Carter, we need to update your emergency contact details. Am I to assume the baby's father should be contacted in case of an emergency?" The elderly lady asked._

_"Yes. Sorry, I must have forgotten to fill that part out." She answered in a soft tone._

_"Not to worry, what's his name?" The elderly lady smiled warmly at her._

_"James Hunter."_

_Oh shit._

Alice and Rose were still deep in conversation but Emmett and I locked eyes. A cold shiver ran down my back at the sound of his name. This must be the Victoria Carlisle mentioned. _She clearly knew he was taking drugs and yet she's willing to bring a baby into this life?_ She was either delusional enough to think he would change his habits or she was downright crazy. A baby would never change a guy like Hunter. He had an agenda, an agenda that now involved me. I have no idea why he's taken an interest in me but I knew it put Edward on edge.

"If you could just sign this," the old lady handed her a sheet of paper and Victoria bent down to sign it before handing it back over.

"That will be all Miss Carter, we'll be in touch soon," they exchanged pleasantries and I watched as Victoria left the clinic, not even giving us a second glance. I couldn't help but follow her every move through the window. She stopped and took her phone out, quickly putting it to her ear. The conversation was apparently quick and then an SUV pulled up next to her with blacked-out windows so I couldn't see who was behind the wheel. She climbed in and leaned towards the driver before shutting the door and blocking my view once more. I cursed under my breath which got Rose's attention.

"What are you looking at Bella?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow. Emmett quickly shook his head behind her.

"I thought I saw someone I knew. Give me a second guys?" I got up and stepped out of the clinic and dialed Edward.

I don't think the phone even rang once before he picked up. "What's wrong?" He sounded on edge which in turn put me on high alert.

"Hunter has a baby on the way," was the only way I could think to say it.

"What are you talking about?" He asked confused.

"Victoria, your dad mentioned her name the day we met with my father. When you said Hunter was staying at some broad's house, Carlisle knew who she was. I'd say she's quite far along from the size of her stomach," I said.

"Was Hunter there?" He demanded.

"No, but I think he was the one to pick her up. It was a large SUV but the windows were blacked out and her body blocked my view of the driver," I relayed back.

"What color was the SUV?"

"Black,"

"Did you see the number plate?"

"No, sorry."

"Fuck! Ok, angel, thanks. Tell Emmett to call me as soon as fucking possible. Let me know once you're outside the club ok?" He sounded angry but I didn't take offense to the way he spoke to me.

"Yeah baby, I'll let you know. I'll see you soon ok?" I said, my voice calm even though I felt anything but.

"Yeah…Bella…just, come back to me ok?" He pleaded.

"Always." Was the only thing I could manage to say without crying. He sounded so desperate, I don't know why he would think I wouldn't come back to him. I can't think of not being with him, especially now.

After collecting myself, I went back in at the same time a nurse approached Rose. Everyone got up to follow the nurse and I quickly caught up to them.

This was it! We were going to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. I was so excited for my friends, it was easy to forget the shit I just witnessed for the moment and focus on my girl.

"Ok, I'm going to need a couple of you to step out as we get Rosalie ready and settled," the nurse turned to Alice and me. Alice was about to protest but then she looked over at Emmett and Rosalie who were lost in their own little bubble. Emmett's forehead rested against Rose's and his hand was covering most of her stomach. I quickly pinched Alice on the arm and we stepped out.

"But we promised her we'd be there for the first scan!" Alice whined as I dragged her back out to the waiting area.

"Yes, and I'm sure she's glad we tagged along but this is their moment, let's just let them enjoy it," I marched her over to the cafeteria so we could grab a coffee as we waited, I sent a quick text to Emmett to let him know where we were and I also told him Edward wants to speak to him as soon as possible.

"Who was the redhead Bella?" Alice asked, quirking her perfectly shaped eyebrow at me.

"Has Jasper ever spoke about someone named Hunter?" I wanted to see how much she already knew.

"Yeah, his dad and Edward's dad used to run Chicago together before he died right? He went away or something but now he's back and giving the guys grief," Ok, so she knew more than I thought.

"Yeah, he wants his share of Chicago back and claims that Carlisle owes him. Technically, he has every right to it but Hunter is unstable. He's involved with drugs and wants to start up shady businesses all over Chicago that Carlisle has been trying to clean up. The thing is, Hunter has caught wind about Edward and I and he's taken an interest in me." I stopped talking as more and more people came into the canteen. I waited until people moved away from us so that we wouldn't be overheard.

"Hunter sent flowers to the penthouse with a cryptic note. Remember when you and Jasper met Edward and me at Nonna's? That was the day I got the flowers. Edward is having him followed to keep tabs on him," I sat back as I finished catching her up. it felt good to talk to someone other than Edward about this.

"I thought you guys had a fight that night, there was something in the atmosphere when we walked in. First Felix and now this Hunter guy?" I could see she was concerned.

"Well, you're going to love this then, Felix knew Hunter. Hunter asked Felix to keep tabs on us hence why he was creeping me out more and more. The day shit went down at the warehouse, Felix was being creepier than ever and asked me how 'Cullen royalty' was treating me and as I walked by him, he whispered the word 'soon'. I still don't know what he meant by it but I'm so fucking glad he's been taken care of. My life has been one hell of a rollercoaster recently," I gulped down my last bit of coffee and noticed that Rose and Emmett were making their way over to us, both supporting massive grins on their faces.

I nudged Alice's foot and she turned to look at them.

"I bet he's going to propose soon," she whispered as they got closer and I laughed. I really hope he does.

"I take it things went well?" I teased as Rose clutched the sonogram pictures.

"Yeah," she said dreamily as she proudly held out the picture so we could see. Alice and I both oohed and ahhed in the right places whilst we tried to figure out what we were looking at.

Rose was telling us about the baby's heartbeat when Emmett excused himself to answer his phone, he quickly looked at me before turning around and walking out the reception area, no doubt it was Edward he was talking to.

"Guys, I'm sorry they wouldn't let you in there. You don't understand how happy I am that Emmett wants this little baby as much as I do. It means the world to me that we're doing this together," she gushed.

"Babe, don't worry about it. We're just happy that you're happy, there will be other scans we can come to," I reassured her, and then the three of us hugged. Alice took Rose to the restroom so she can finally relieve herself whilst I walked over to where Emmett stood, still on the phone.

"Yeah we're just about to leave, hold on a sec," he focused on me. "Where's Rosie?" he asked.

"She and Alice went to the restroom," I reassured him and saw his shoulders relax slightly. I patted his arm to calm him further and I could hear Edward huffing from the other end of the phone. I giggled and Emmett focused on the call again.

"Yeah, she's right here, want to talk to her? Of course, she's fine asshole, nothing happened. Hold on let me ask," Emmett once again focused on me. "Was there another car that followed the SUV?" he questioned.

"No, not that I saw," I didn't quite understand what he was getting at but I was positive there was no other car.

"Yeah, I'm as confused as you are. Ed, was Santiago still on his tail? Well shit, ok I'm going to drop your little lady back to yours so you can stop fucking pacing. Listen, can you book a table for tonight, I think we all could do with a night out," Emmett had the goofiest grin on his face as he listened to whatever Edward was saying.

When Alice and Rose approached us, Emmett instinctively reached out for Rose's hand and they both walked back over to the counter to sign more papers before we left. I watched as the other women all kept their eyes locked on Emmett. I felt the whole room swoon as he beamed at his Rosie and then kissed her forehead whilst resting his huge hand on her stomach.

Once Rose was done, we all made our way back to the car so that we could go home. Emmett told the girls we're going out tonight and Rose began crying because she won't be able to drink and then proceeded to hit Emmett for being inconsiderate. And then she cried again and apologized for being mean.

Talk about emotional whiplash. Alice and I sat at the back quietly trying not to set her off again. I could feel Alice buzzing next to me at the prospect of going out tonight and to be honest, I was looking forward to it too. I wanted to dress up and tease Edward all night, if anyone needed to let their hair down it would be Edward. He was on edge more than ever. This Hunter thing was seriously rattling him.

"Rose, why don't you and Alice come to Edward's later so we can get ready together?" It felt like forever since we did that.

"That's a brilliant idea!" Alice bounced next to me.

"Sure, if I can find anything that still fits me," Rose grumbled from the front.

"Rosie, you're not even showing yet babe, everything still fits you and you're hot as hell," Emmett tried to reassure her but it only brought on more tears.

This time I was the one to hit him.

* * *

I jumped as I walked through the door when Seth let me in because I walked smack in the middle of Edward who was literally pacing the floor.

"Bella," he whispered before enveloping me in his arms.

"Baby, I'm right here. Come, let's go up," I wound my arm around his waist and led him over to the elevator. He scanned his print and the doors opened. I waved a quick hello and goodbye to Seth before the doors closed in front of us and we climbed up.

Edward had his nose buried in my hair as he breathed me in.

Once we were inside, he picked me up and walked us over to the couch. My legs rested on the side of his thighs as he sat down. He brought my body flush to his and captured my lips in a searing kiss that left me breathless. The kiss soon escalated as I began slowly moving my hips and grinding on top of him. He was hard beneath me and my mouth watered at what was waiting for me. His left hand went to my hair and he gave it a sharp tug to move my head back so he could reach that sweet spot behind my ear. The spot he knew drove me crazy with want. I moaned as he licked down my neck, the hand that was wrapped in my hair slid down to my neck as he held me loosely. The instinct to swallow was natural and as he felt my throat move under his hand, his hold tightened ever so slightly. I wasn't into choking and he's never indicated that its something he liked to do either, but this simple action was getting me excited.

I rested my hands on the back of the sofa and moved my hips with more vigor.

Edward suddenly pulled away and looked at me, his eyes frantically searching mine.

"Baby what's wrong?" I suddenly stopped and asked breathlessly, my heart racing from being so worked up by him.

"Marry me," was all he said.

I threw my head back and laughed.

"I've already said yes Edward, and I've said yes every time you've asked me," I ran my fingers through his hair as he continued to stare into my eyes.

"No, marry me…right now. I don't want to wait anymore. I don't care if our parents will be angry with us. I don't care Bella. I don't want to wait. Please, please say we'll do it tonight," he sounded so desperate.

"Edward, what's wrong, why the rush?" I wasn't saying no, but I needed to find out where his head is at.

"I have to keep you safe." He breathed.

"I am safe-"

"No, you don't understand!" I jumped slightly at his outburst.

"Then help me understand. What happened? I feel like you've been like this since before we left for the hospital," I tried prying further and winced a little when his grip on my hips tightened.

"Santiago's head turned up at the warehouse just before you got back." He said in a somber voice. A chill went down my spine as his words registered. Santiago was the guy that was following Hunter. A guy Edward himself put on the job. He literally spoke to him before the gang got here to pick me up.

"The fact that you were inches away from someone associated with that motherfucker puts me on edge. I no longer have direct information on his whereabouts. He's ruthless Bella, he won't stop until he gets what he thinks is rightfully his." His grip on me tightened even more now and I physically winced this time.

"Baby you're hurting me," I whispered and it was like a bucket of ice water was thrown over him. The crazed and stressed look from his face vanished and it was replaced with remorse.

"Angel, I'm so sorry," he mumbled into my chest as he brought me closer to him and wrapped his arms around me. I could feel the tension rolling off of him and I worried about him. This has shaken him to the core.

"Aren't there rules you're supposed to follow? Will our marriage still count for something?" I was thinking out loud as I ran my fingers through his hair.

"As long as we provide a valid marriage license, you're immediately protected under the Code. Our marriage, no matter how big or small the ceremony is, will always count for something," the sincerity in his tone confirmed what I was about to say to him.

"Then let's do it," I whispered into his ear as he rested his cheek next to mine. Edward moved back and searched my eyes once more to see if I'm being serious. And I was being dead serious.

I know this won't be a dream wedding with all our families and friends but I'm sure we can do it properly another time. This is just about Edward and me, no one else. We weren't doing it for anyone else. Yeah, Hunter's crazy was making us rush it, but we both want this for the right reasons.

"Oh my god baby we're getting married tonight!" I was so giddy with excitement, I jumped off of Edward's lap and started bouncing around in front of him. He stood up and lifted me off the ground as he spun me around in a circle, leaving feathery kisses on my neck and face as I continued to squeal and laugh with happiness.

"You've made me one happy sonofabitch," he proclaimed as his happy started to match my own.

There were so many things I needed to do before we do this, I wasn't even sure where to start.

"Edward there's so much I need to do! I need to try and do something with my hair, we need rings, fuck me I haven't even got a dress!" This is where the panic started to seep in.

"Let's go find the rings now, as for the dress, I kinda sorta already picked something out for you. I've wanted to do this the day I proposed to you in the shower so I bought something for you." He hoisted me up higher and carried me to the bedroom and towards his side of the closet. He sat my ass down on the center island in the walk-in closet and then reached out to one of the garment bags that inconspicuously hung with his suits.

This was like one of those 'Don't Tell the Bride' shows where the groom does all the planning as well as buying the dress. I nervously fidgeted as I watched him undo the zipper. I think I stopped breathing as he reached in and took the dress out, I was almost too scared to look. I watched as silky white fabric spilled out of the garment bag like water.

Edward walked closer to me and held the dress out for me to get a better look. It was pure white silk with delicate spaghetti straps, it was form-hugging with a cowl neckline. I was simply mesmerized, and then he let me see the back and I think I fell in love with him all over again. The back was very low cut and I assumed it will fall down to the very bottom of my waist, there were 4 delicate silk buttons that looked like they would end at my tailbone.

I was speechless as I continued to look at it, I wanted to know what it would feel like on my naked body. I knew I wouldn't be able to wear underwear with this dress and just the thought of wearing nothing but the beautiful dress and heels, made me want to forget everything else and drive to the courthouse immediately.

"What do you think?" He asked softly with a gentle smile on his face.

"It's perfect. God baby, I can't wait to wear it, no other dress will ever come close to this one," I felt so overwhelmed by it all that I couldn't even control the tears that were running down my face.

"So you really like it?"

"Like it? I freaking love it, baby. You're amazing, did you know that?" I hopped off the counter and jumped on him. He quickly wrapped his free arm around me to help keep me up whilst the other held the dress out at arm's length so it doesn't get creased. I was so mesmerized by the dress I was too scared to even touch it. We were both looking at it, engulfed in awed silence.

"Are you going to try it on?" He turned to me and asked.

"I'm too scared to ruin it," I whispered back. He just laughed at me and nuzzled my cheek. If I tried it on, I was never going to take it off, but we had stuff to do and I can't walk about with my wedding dress on.

_My wedding dress._

I unwrapped myself from Edward and tried to clear my head so I could start planning what we need to do next.

"Ok, we need to get our shit together. Let me get in the shower and then we can head out and get the rings. Then we need to make calls to see if we can get a spot at the courthouse. We get back here, grab your tux and my dress, and hopefully, by the end of the day we'll be Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen," by the end of my little speech, I was sure my voice rose a few octaves due to my excitement.

This shotgun wedding sounded easy enough to get together, I don't know why Alice has been panicking so much planning her own wedding, she had 2 months to get it sorted. I have hours.

I was ready to turn around and march into the bathroom but Edward gently grabbed my wrist and spun me back around to face him. He carefully hung the dress on a display rack and then turned to face me again, he reached into his pant pocket and as he pulled out that velvet square box, he knelt down on one knee. The shock must have been evident on my face because he let out a low chuckle before looking me square in the eye.

"Isabella Swan, I promise to love and worship the ground that you walk on for the rest of my life. You've brought brightness into my dark world, you've given me purpose and you've helped me see that I don't have to go through shit alone. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me, Isabella?" His eyes were glassy and I could feel my own watering. He opened the delicate velvet box and inside it sat the most beautiful oval diamond engagement ring. The white gold band was thin and glistened in the light.

This was it, this was the moment I have imagines since I was young.

"Yes! Thousand times yes!" I held my left hand out and watched as he took the ring out and then took hold of my hand as he slid the ring on. It felt heavy but very comfortable like it was always supposed to be there. Edward stood up straight again and engulfed me in his arms whilst leaving me breathless from his kiss.

As we stood in the middle of the closet, embracing each other, I thought my heart will burst with how full and happy it felt.

* * *

My shower would have been a lot quicker if Edward hadn't joined me, but then again, I also wasn't going to complain about the amazing orgasm he gave me whilst we "showered". We simply couldn't keep our hands off each other or wipe the goofy grins off our faces.

I was attempting to dry my hair whilst Edward retreated back to the office for something or other, I was too busy planning our next stop to pay any attention.

Once my hair was dry, I quickly curled the ends and deemed myself ready. I walked out of the bedroom in search of Edward and found him pacing in the office, his phone glued to his ear.

"No I don't give a fuck, get it done, or don't bother coming back. What the fuck do I pay you for? This better get sorted by the time I come back tonight." And with that, he ended the call and turned to look at me. The tension immediately vanished as he smiled at me and then raked his eyes up and down my body. I slowly turned for him so he could get the full view of the dress I picked out.

It was getting cold in Chicago so I opted for a knit midi dress that was body hugging with a tall slit that went up the length of my thigh. I also paired it with some high heels.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked as I finished giving him a show.

"Yeah I'm ready, you look amazing, Bella," he said as he tucked his gun at the back of his jeans. The sight of his gun brought me back down to earth ever so slightly and I remembered why we were doing this tonight.

I grabbed hold of Edward's hand and we made our way to the elevator.

"Have you ever thought about living in a house?" I finally voiced my thoughts.

"Not even married yet and you already want to move?" He teased as he slyly palmed my ass.

"I've thought about it as it's a good investment. I actually own a couple of properties around Chicago that I've rented out. I've never needed an actual house before though, is that something you'd want?" He asked as we stepped out of the elevator and were met by Irena.

_Great._

"Mr. Cullen, may I speak with you in private?" She looked at him from under her lashes and I nearly scoffed out loud.

I settled on sighing loudly which caused her to shoot daggers at me.

"Whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of her. I thought I told you, you need to sort the shit out before I get back tonight, I haven't even fucking left yet." Ah, so it was her he was talking to in the office.

"I'm sorry Ed- Mr. Cullen, but I just thought maybe-" but before she could finish what she was saying, Edward cut her off.

"I don't have time for this. Either deal with it or leave. It's your choice." And with that, he opened the door for us and we stepped out, letting the door shut behind us with a resounding bang.

"What does she want?" I asked.

"She wants to move up in the ranks and not have to deal with the staff or bookings. She's double booked a table and now can't resolve the problem and wants to worm her way out of it. She's still under the impression she can sleep her way through it." He gritted out and instinctively tightened his hold on my hand, sensing that I wanted to turn around and show her what's what.

"Why don't you just fire her?" It was my simple solution, it gets rid of the problem altogether.

"I don't have time to replace her and I need at least this business to run smoothly." He retorted back.

"I could work for you," I tried to sound seductive as I threw the idea out there and I was shocked to see he wasn't going to fight me on it or tell me it's a ridiculous idea.

"You want to work for me?" The surprise was evident in his tone.

"Why not? You can at least trust me to do the job right." I said matter-of-factly and gasped as he caged me against the car with his body.

"Mmmm you definitely do the job right. Let me think it over ok? I'm not saying no, let me just sort some shit out first and then we can see ok?" He said against my lips as he kept leaning in closer and closer to my mouth. I made the final move and bit down on his bottom lip gently before capturing it between my lips. The kiss held all sorts of promises and as always, left me breathless. I hummed into the kiss before we pulled apart, we got into the car and drove to the jewelers.

I had no idea what sort of rings we wanted, I just hope Edward and I will be able to find something that we'll both love.


	25. Chapter 25

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 25**

With the way Edward drove, we reached the jewelers in no time at all. Once he turned the engine off he gave my hand a gentle squeeze before he jumped out and jogged over to my side to open the door. I gave him a lingering kiss on the corner of his mouth as I felt people watching us. I felt so empowered right now walking beside him. I felt at the top of the world as we stepped inside the jewelry store with the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

A saleswoman was instantly by our side placing her hand on Edward's otherwise unoccupied arm as she gleamed at him with her pearly whites. She had an orangey glow about her and platinum blond hair that looked too straight to be healthy. I rolled my eyes at her and didn't even bother to hide it. I was too excited about getting married to care about petty women like her.

Edward brought my body closer to him whilst moving his arm out of her grasp. I could feel how tense he was and I just wanted him to feel as happy as I did right now.

"I need to speak to your manager." He spat out in annoyance.

"I'm sure whatever it is, I am able to assist you, Mr. Cullen," she purred seductively, or at least she tried to. _Ok, seriously I'm right here, what the actual fuck?_

"I'm sure you're not. I need to speak to Mr. Robinson." He said through gritted teeth. His face scrunched up like he could smell something unpleasant and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh as I wound my arm around his waist and ran my fingers up and down the side of him.

Her eyes darted to me and she looked me up and down before huffing and going back behind the counter and retrieving a telephone. Within seconds, an elderly gentleman with greying hair and a perfectly tailored pinstripe suit stepped through and made his way over to us. He had a twinkle in his eye and a beaming smile as he neared us.

"Ah Mr. Cullen, how are you, dear boy?" I couldn't help but smile at the older man.

"I'm great Mr. Robinson, please call me Edward," my heart swelled watching how he interacted with the elderly, first Nonna and now Mr. Robinson. It was like the weight of the world was off his shoulders and he was just a regular guy who wasn't next in line to the throne of Chicago.

"Then I insist you call me George. And who is this beauty next to you?" His gaze turned to me and his smile stretched further.

"My fiancé, Isabella," the pride in Edward's tone rang loud and clear and I swooned a little at my new title, at least for the next few hours, then I'll become a wife.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Robinson," I extended my hand and he gently took it in his and brought it up to his lips.

"The pleasure is all mine," he responded and I chuckled as his cheeks turned pink.

"What can I do for you both?" Straight down to business it seems.

"We're looking for wedding bands," Edward proclaimed and kissed the side of my head as he brought me closer to him.

"Fantastic!" Mr. Robinson exclaimed and clapped his hands in excitement.

"Genevieve, please unlock the cabinet for the wedding collection," Mr. Robinson turned to look at the blond bimbo who would have most likely scoffed if her boss wasn't standing there.

I watched him shake his head and mutter something under his breath before he walked behind the counter and shooed her away. Edward and I stepped up to the glass counter illuminated by a white light and looked down at the velvet cabinet that housed wedding rings.

"When is the big day?" He asked as the twinkle in his eyes grew.

"Tonight," Edward said as he leaned closer to have a look at a set of white gold rings. The men's one was a wide band with a matte middle and two shiny strips going around it. The women's one had intricate floral design going all the way around the ring with diamonds nestled throughout. I was mesmerised by the ring and I was pretty sure I held my breath whilst I followed Edward and leaned in closer.

"That right there are the Eternity 14k white gold bands. My late wife helped me design these bands and I have been reluctant to sell them to just anyone. It feels like fate to me," I looked up as Mr. Robinson spoke and he shot me a quick wink.

Edward turned to look at me and raised his eyebrow in question.

"How long where you and Mrs. Robinson married?" I asked instead of replying to Edward's question.

"We celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary the year she passed. She was my high school sweetheart and what a sweetheart she was. She was my absolute rock. Supported me whilst I tried getting the business up and running, worked 3 jobs to keep us afloat, and never once complained. Once the customers started trickling in and I was able to support us both and live a comfortable life, I begged her to stop working and help me with the paperwork at the shop but she was adamant we would drive each other crazy if we worked together. I left it for a while, dropping hints every now and again how I couldn't figure out the forms and when computers were introduced, I was like a fish out of water. She used to huff and then say 'hand it over would ya?'. She was the brains and the beauty behind my store. Working together actually brought us closer than we imagined. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss her or think about her." I watched as his eyes glistened whilst he reminisced and I hoped Edward and I will be just like them when we're older.

I grabbed hold of Edward's hand and squeezed it as a lump formed in my throat.

"We never had any children, this store was our baby and we were content to just be. But fate had other plans. We found a lump in her breast and were told she had 6 weeks to live. We were angry and hurt that our time together was taken away from us and it was out of our control. I watched everyday as my Sandra lived out her final days to the fullest. She had this crazy idea of ticking things off her bucket list. It wasn't a long list but I tried my hardest to make sure she could complete it all before that disease had her bed ridden." Tears ran freely down my face as my heart broke for this man. Edward wrapped his arm around me tightly and rested his forehead against my temple, his warm breath ghosting across my face.

Mr. Robinson chuckled before he carried on with his story.

"She wanted to get a tattoo; I tried my best to talk her out of it because I didn't want her to be in any more pain than she already was. She told me off for trying to wrap her up in bubble wrap and we both ended up with matching tattoos." The three of us laughed and I tried my best wiping away the tears.

"You two remind me a lot of us. You can feel the love you have for each other. You two move in sync and probably don't even realise it. Edward, keep her close and keep her safe. Exquisite Isabella is one in a million just like my Sandy was. Let me give you some good old fashioned advice, if you upset her, make sure you come back with flowers. Never go to bed angry and tell each other you love one another every day because you never know what fate has in store for you." He smiled gently at us and then excused himself as another saleslady called his name.

I turned to face Edward and he engulfed me in his arms. I breathed in his magnificent scent and held on to him, snaking my hand under his jacket and up his strong back.

"What do you think?" He spoke quietly as we both turned back to look at the rings.

"They're perfect," I whispered.

The older gentleman appeared in front of us again and beamed at us.

"So what will it be kids?" He asked.

"We'll take the Eternity rings George," Edward answered.

"Splendid!" Edward chuckled at the old man who clapped again and then proceeded to wrap the rings up for us after we tried them on. The rings fit us like they were made for us and I felt reluctant to take mine off in order for Mr. Robinson to ring them through.

We were a step closer to becoming husband and wife and I felt giddy again. I wanted to go to the courthouse now and just get the paperwork signed so I can finally become Mrs. Cullen.

"Of Edward, before I forget, I hope the other purchase is satisfactory. It's been a while since I had to get that design out." He laughed to himself and brought out a large book that looked vintage with its leather binding.

He opened the large book and started writing out the details of the ring, who purchased it, and for how much. I couldn't believe how much they cost and I almost told Edward we should maybe look for something else but it was like he could read my mind because the look he gave me said _don't even think about it_.

For a second I wondered what the other purchase Mr. Robinson was speaking about and I was just about to ask Edward when I felt someone looking at me. I turned to look out the front window but there was no one there. I shook off the feeling and thanked Mr. Robinson profusely as he handed us the package that housed our new wedding bands.

After exchanging pleasantries, we bid him goodbye and walked out of the store hand in hand as the rings were nestled inside Edward's jacket. His phone started ringing as he opened the car door for me. I hopped in and was about to shut the door when Edward's whole demeanor changed. He did a full 360 as he looked around him, a hardened look crossed his face as he listened to whoever was on the other side of that call.

"You better be fucking kidding me, I swear to everything you believe in that if you don't get me that information in the next 2 minutes, you're going to regret it. I will not have this happen again do I make myself fucking clear? Do I look like I give a shit if it's not ethical? Don't forget who you work for Ben!" He sneered and ended the call and I could see he was seething.

"What's wrong?" It felt like Déjà vu as I once again uttered those words.

"Hunter." Was all Edward said as he shut my door and swiftly walked to the driver's side and climbed in. A cold shiver ran down my back as Edward sped away from the curb and made his way back to the club.

He made quick calls to Jasper and Emmett as well as Carlisle and Demetri. They were all on high alert and I just prayed to god nothing was going to get in the way of us getting married tonight.

I really didn't want bloodshed on my wedding night.

When we got back, Edward and I quickly gathered our stuff to change into and we were back in the car in record speed.

I was a little confused as Edward went the opposite way from the courthouse and instead drove out of the city. I watched him glance at the rear-view mirror and speed up. I tried to look back but all I could see was a pair of headlights that were on full beam. I couldn't make out the asshole behind the wheel and had the sudden urge to shoot at his lights. There was nothing I hated more than assholes who had their lights on high beams. Edward reached forward and opened the glove compartment and pulled out a Glock. My breathing picked up as he handed it to me.

"What the fuck is going on?" I demanded as he kept looking at the car behind us who was getting closer and closer to us.

"We're being followed," he said as he wound through traffic, trying to get more and more cars between us.

"Is that Hunter?" I asked as I once again tried to make out the driver.

"No, Hunter wouldn't want to get his hands dirty just yet. He's testing the waters to see how close his goon can get to me," Edward was calm as he continued driving but I was pretty sure I was close to hyperventilating.

"Baby, where are we going?" I asked and heard my voice tremble ever so slightly.

"To get married." Was his only response.

We carried on driving for some time and there were fewer and fewer cars in front of us and behind us.

"If he gets close enough again, shoot the headlights and then the tires. I need to see his face first," Edward instructed as he turned down some back roads. The headlights beamed through the rear-view mirror again and the car was getting closer.

Before Edward could say anything, I opened my window and leaned out of it to get a good shot.

"Bella get the fuck back into the car!" He bellowed.

"How the fuck do you expect me to get the lights and the tires?!" I shouted back as I took aim and fired two quick rounds, successfully turning his lights out. The car swerved ever so slightly but he tried to gain speed again to get closer to us. I quickly ducked inside the car when I noticed his own gun sticking out the window.

"Can you see the fucker now?" I asked as I tried to look behind us.

Edward rolled down his window and took a shot out at the car hitting the left front tire with precision. I was about to do the same to the other one but the car swerved and drove into the ditch on the side of the road. Edward slowed down ever so slightly and did a U-turn. As we got closer to the car, Edward once again took his gun out and fired once, hitting the guy between the eyes before he could take a shot at us.

He parked the car on the side of the road and got out, his gun still in his hand. He walked over to the car and opened the driver's side door and started looking through the pockets of Hunter's goon. He took his phone and wallet and walked back over to our car.

He jumped back in and handed me the guy's belongings.

"Who is he?" He asked me as I opened the wallet and got the driving license out.

"Stefan Podolski," I read out and I wondered whether it was his real name.

"The Romanians? What the fuck is Hunter doing getting involved with the Romanians?" Edward asked rhetorically. The phone in my lap vibrated and I jumped in surprise.

It was a text message from an unsaved number.

"What does it say?" Edward asked as he tried looking at it himself as well as keeping an eye on the road.

"See where Cullen and his little bitch end up and then take care of her. Make sure to leave Cullen to me." My breathing picked up as I read out the message, no doubt it was from Hunter.

"FUCK!" Edward exclaimed as he hit the steering wheel and increased the speed. His face was deadly and he didn't look at me as I tried to keep my emotions in check. For the first time since we decided we'll get married tonight, I wondered whether we should do this alone or if it would be safer to have someone there with us.

"Edward I-"

"Angel please," he said through gritted teeth as his knuckles turned white with the grip he had on the wheel. He suddenly took a right turn, the tires screeching in the process, and sped down a small quaint street. The streetlights were sparse and it looked like most of the town was asleep. It housed a local convenient store, a café, a small bakery, and at the end of the road was a small church that looked like it needed some work done. The roof was rundown but the actual building itself looked inviting. The thick wooden doors were open letting out the bare minimal light that kept flickering which made me think it was probably lit up by candles. Edward slowed down outside the little church and took a deep breath before he turned to face me but looked out at the church.

"Where are we?" I asked, never once being down this side of Chicago.

"My grandparents got married here. My grandmother ran away from home to be with my grandfather. As you can imagine, her family didn't approve of his. I believe the same priest is still running a service here," he spoke softly as he continued to look out the window.

"Baby, is it safe for us to do this alone?" I finally voiced my worries and he finally looked at me.

"The sooner we do this, the safer it will be Isabella," he sounded pained and I wanted more than anything to forget the past half-hour ever happened and just bask in the fact that I will be tied to him for the rest of our lives. Getting married will give me the protection he has been trying to provide me with since the beginning.

Wife's and children can't be touched.

"Then let's do this." I smiled at him reassuringly, grabbed his hand that was resting on the armrest, and brought it up to my lips, kissing the palm whilst I looked at him through my lashes. I watched him swallow and quickly nod his head as he turned the car off and opened his door.

Once I stepped out, I could hear the sound of faint traffic but the little street was otherwise quiet.

Edward grabbed our garment bags from the back as well as the small bag I packed with my makeup and hair products as well as something I could pack my current clothes in. He walked around to where I stood and took my hand in his free one.

We made our way inside the church; I was pleased to see it was empty apart from an old gentleman who was sat in the front pew with his head bowed down. Unfortunately, my high heels disturbed the silence inside and it made the old gentleman turn to look at us. His expression as one of recognition.

As we walked closer, his quick intake of breath made me worry that he would turn us away.

"Edoardo?" He whispered and Edward and I turned to look at each other in confusion.

"Father Agostini?" Edward asked as we now stood in front of the frail man.

"Sì," he nodded and held out his hand, Edward shook his hand and as I reached mine out to do the same, Father Agostini clasped it in both of his and bowed his head whilst he whispered something.

"Father, we would like to get married tonight, is there any way you can help us with that?" Edward asked as the priest glanced between us.

"Right now?" He asked in a thick Italian accent.

"Please, lei è in pericolo." _**She is in danger.**_

Hearing Edward speak Italian did funny things to me but I squashed them down because now wasn't the time. Whatever Edward had said made the priest give us a quick nod before he told us to follow him. He led us to a set of stairs and told us that there are 2 rooms at the top for us to get ready in. He told me he will have someone help me with getting ready and I was about to protest but he turned around and went down a set of stairs that was to the left of us.

We held hands as we made our way up the steep stone stairs and then Edward opened the door on the left, quickly looked inside and motioned for me to come through. The room was illuminated by 2 wall lights and held a floor-length mirror that rested against the cobbled wall as well as 2 plush chairs. There was a vanity table under the window that looked out to the courtyard at the back of the church, but all I could see was the reflection of us as we stood side by side.

Edward leaned in and left a gentle kiss on my temple.

"I'm just across the hall if you hear or see anything that doesn't feel right, shout and I'll be here." He gave my hand one last squeeze before he placed the bag on one of the chairs and hung the garment bag with my dress in behind the door.

I couldn't speak.

All I could do was nod and watch him go across the hall to his room to get dressed in.

I watched as he quickly looked around the room before he turned back to the door just as a young girl who couldn't have been more than 16, appeared at the top of the stairs and looked down at the floor before squaring her shoulders and looking up at me.

"Hello," I managed to finally say and I watched as she looked at me with amazement in her eyes before she turned to where Edward still stood. She almost did a double-take but then a gentle smile crossed her features and she stepped into my room and gently closed the door, the last thing I saw was Edward mouth that he loves me before it was just me and her.

"Let me help you to your forever," she gently said as she gave me a genuine smile and proceeded to unzip the garment bag.

We worked quietly together, she offered minimal conversation and I was happy with that. I was too lost in my own thoughts to be able to keep up a conversation.

She helped me pin my hair up in a subtle updo and then assisted me in putting the dress on, she politely turned around as I got naked in front of her, I even noticed the slight blush on her cheeks as she caught a slight glimpse of me in the mirror. I was too excited to care, it wasn't like I was going to ever see her again.

I can't describe how it felt to finally have the dress on my body. My nipples hardened as the fabric was held up by the spaghetti straps. The cowl neck fell around my breast and luckily hid my nipples. I shivered ever so slightly as my back remained bare and Lucia proceeded to do up the 4 buttons at the bottom.

That was when I heard the other door open and close, there was no movement for a bit but then I could hear footsteps descend down the stone stairs. I felt like my heart had stopped as I heard his voice ring through the building as he spoke to Father Agostini.

Lucia guided me over to the free chair and helped me slip on the white heels I had packed. As she helped me clasp the last strap on the heels, she gave me her hand and helped pull me up.

I turned to look at myself in the mirror and what I could see reflecting back at me took my breath away. I had packed a set of pearl earrings my mother had given me one day as she was going through her jewelry box. I left my neck bare as the dress already had a lot going on at the front. The dress was long enough to hide my shoes as it rested on the floor ever so slightly, going around to the short train at the back. We had kept my makeup light and I couldn't take my eyes away from the reflection looking back at me.

I watched as Lucia stood to the side beaming at me with excitement. She clasped her hands together and bounced on the balls of her feet, making me laugh softly at her excitement.

"Are you ready?" She'd asked.

"Yes," I whispered back and Lucia handed me a small bouquet of baby's-breath that were tied with a thin satin wrap.

She proceeded to open the door and then reached her hand out to help me down the stairs. As we slowly descended, I noticed that the little church was now covered in hundreds of tealights and tall pillars that held much larger candles. Lucia led me down a corridor to the side and we were stood by the entrance once more.

The doors were closed this time as we stood in front of them.

Lucia squeezed my hand before she stepped away and I finally looked up to the front of the church.

There stood my present and my future.


	26. Chapter 26

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 26**

_The doors were closed this time as we stood in front of them._

_Lucia squeezed my hand before she stepped away and I finally looked up to the front of the church._

_There stood my present and my future._

There was no music. My dad wasn't walking me down the aisle. The pews were not filled with our family members and friends to share this moment with us. But as I gazed up at the man standing proudly at the front of the church, I realized I didn't need any of that.

All I needed was this moment.

He wore a navy tailor-fitted suit, expensive Italian leather coated his feet, and shone in the candlelight. His muscles were accentuated by the tightly fitted jacket and I was afraid I was going to stumble as I kept looking at him.

I walked towards him, that sense of belonging and contentment overtook my whole being and I was tempted to start running to him just so I could be in his arms again.

He never took his eyes off me as I made my short way over to where he stood in front of the priest. I felt my eyes watering as Edward stepped forward and extended his hand to me and I finally stood with him.

We were facing each other in front of Father Agostini who smiled warmly at us and then began the ceremony.

The whole time he spoke, I was lost in Edward's eyes. We held hands as he spoke about a love between two people that should be cherished and honored. He spoke about how we are all destined to find that one person who completes us and makes us whole again.

He held our wedding bands in his open palm and started speaking in Italian again. I quirked my eyebrow ever so slightly and Edward smirked at me and whispered that he's simply blessing the rings. Then, Lucia stepped up from the side holding a velvet cushion and father Agostini placed our rings delicately on top of it and motioned for Edward to take my ring and repeat after him.

"I, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, take thee, Isabella Marie Swan, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." His voice rang loud and clear, never wavering as he recited the traditional vows to me.

We briefly spoke about whether we should write our own but Edward said that our parents will expect us to do this again with everyone present and we can share our own vows then.

I held out my left hand as Edward slowly placed the ring on my finger. A lump formed at the back of my throat trying to escape as it finally sank in. The heaviness of the ring made it all real.

"Isabella, if you can repeat after me." Father Agostini said as he slightly turned towards me as Lucia moved over to my side.

"I, Isabella Marie Swan, take thee, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." Only after speaking those words did I actually realize their true meaning. It felt like my whole world shifted on its axis as I slid the ring on Edward's finger and our hands clasped together.

"By the power of your love and commitment, and the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." Father Agostini spoke softly and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as Edward leaned closer and sealed our unity with a kiss.

We were both reluctant to pull away but then we heard Lucia's small giggle and I smiled into the kiss before we eventually pulled apart.

We signed the paperwork and were handed our marriage certificate in a thick envelope that was sealed by wax. Lucia had kindly grabbed our things for us whilst Edward tried to persuade Father Agostini to take his money. He eventually stuffed the wad of cash into the donations box and we once again thanked them both for helping us tonight.

Father Agostini blessed us and we walked out of the church as husband and wife.

* * *

Once we reached the city limits, the air inside the car was charged with sexual tension.

I was almost salivating at the sight of Edward in his tailor-fit suit as it was impossible to hide the bulge he was supporting in his pants.

"Do you have any idea how amazing you look? Do you know the willpower it took for me not to carry you upstairs and consummate our marriage in the house of God?" He teased as his hand rested on my thigh, giving it a tight squeeze. My legs automatically parted, well as much as they could in this dress and I was tempted to lift it up and give him access to my needy center.

"If you don't get us back to the apartment, I'm scared I'm going to ruin this dress." I gritted out as his hand was driving me crazy running up and down my thigh. This dress was the only piece of clothing covering my body, I really didn't want to ruin it with how wet I was for him.

"We're not going to the apartment, I rented out a suite for us at the Peninsula." He smirked and laughed at the shocked expression on my face.

"When did you manage to do that? Alice said the waiting list for that place is 6 months?" I couldn't believe him.

"Whilst you were getting ready back at the apartment, it's amazing what money can do. I know this isn't what you imagined our wedding to be like so I wanted to make sure it was just as special as if we had done it in front of hundreds of people." The sincerity in his voice made me squeeze that teasing hand that was still working on my thigh.

"Edward, tonight was more than perfect. It exceeded my expectations 100 times over. And baby, I don't think I even know a hundred people, so I don't think our other wedding will be that big." I scoffed unladylike and rolled my eyes at him.

He did a double-take and then shook his head with that sexy smirk still plastered on his face.

"Angel, you do realize I have to invite all the families to the freak show that will be our second wedding right? What we did tonight goes against tradition and would be classed as disrespectful. It's acknowledged as a real marriage, but we also have to do this for all those other fuckers simply because I am next in line to take over." He said the last part through gritted teeth as he weaved in and out of traffic. It was nearing midnight yet the roads were still packed with cars.

I was about to respond but both of our phones went off at the same time. I had left my phone behind in the car when we got to the church and completely forgot to check it. Once I finally looked at it, I had over 20 missed calls and messages from Alice and Rose.

"Shit! We were supposed to be getting ready at the apartment to go down to the club tonight!" I exclaimed as Edward leisurely scrolled through his phone, not having a care in the world that our friends were probably freaking out.

My phone started ringing in my hands and I was slightly relieved it was Alice and not Rose.

"Where the hell have you been?! Do you know how worried sick we were when we didn't get a response from either of you? Do you realize that Emmett and Jasper are out looking for you both?" She screeched down the phone as I put her on loudspeaker.

"Hey Ali," I tried to say.

"Don't you hey Ali me! What the fuck happened?" I could hear thumping music in the background and realized that they had still gone to the club.

I turned to Edward and he simply nodded.

"We got married."

There was silence, well silence from her, we could still hear the music in the background.

And then came the squealing. It went on for a while until Rose grabbed the phone away from Alice and took over.

"Bella? I swear to god you better be in once piece! How can you do that to a pregnant woman? Why the hell is Alice losing her shit right now?" She questioned and I just couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

"Edward and I got married tonight!" I shouted back in excitement and Edward laughed along with me and kissed the palm of my hand as we stopped at a red light. That simple action made my insides clench as I tried to rub my legs together for any sort of friction.

Edward looked back through the rear-view mirror again and I panicked a little thinking we were being followed. But as I looked back, my heart settled when I realized it was Emmett and Jasper. His phone started ringing and he used the cars Bluetooth to connect the call.

"Rose I'll talk to you guys tomorrow ok; Edward and I are on our way to the Peninsula." I squealed again and heard them squeal back before we said our goodbyes and I hung up.

I then focused on the conversation Edward was having with Emmett.

"…he ended up going to one of the clubs run by the Romanians. Let me know who you want to babysit him." Emmett spoke calmly whilst I heard Jasper threaten someone in the background. The roles were clearly reversed because it was usually Jasper who was the calm one from what I've learned.

"Who is Jasper threatening?" I didn't realize I had said it out loud until Edward laughed and Jasper huffed in frustration.

"It's Ben, the IT dipshit." He gritted out.

"Hmm, so both you and Edward have had a problem with him all in the space of a few hours. Is he legit?" I don't know where that thought process came from but Edward looked concerned as he thought it over.

"He checked out sweetheart but he seems to be coming across a lot of hurdles that are delaying the shit we need him to get access to." Jasper was smart enough not to go into detail about anything specific because Big Brother was always watching.

"Ok, but who vetted him? Did anyone actually vouch for this guy or did he suddenly conveniently appear to you?" I was starting to feel a bit antsy as I carried on questioning them.

"Jaz?" Edward asked as both of the guys stayed quiet.

"Well fuck me sideways, he did miraculously get on our radar." Emmett trailed off and then both of them swore at the same time and I heard Jasper dial out again.

"Fucking morons, I should have my wife work for me," Edward grumbled and I giggled at the word wife.

I was someone's wife.

"Wife?" Suddenly came from both of them.

"Yeah, I should introduce her to you fuckers sometime, maybe you can learn a thing or two from her." He bantered with them and then we both laughed as congratulations rang through the car's speakers.

"Jesus, I need to pull my shit together and get Rosie to waddle down the aisle before it's too late. My mother would have my head if our kid was born a bastard." Emmett mused out loud.

"Don't forget her daddy too. You're lucky you're still walking Em, Mr. Hale is a scary man. And if you value your life, don't ever ask her to waddle down the aisle." I teased him and bounced in my seat as we neared the hotel.

"Don't contact me unless it's urgent, do I make myself clear?" Edward's tone hardened and the other two just laughed at him.

"Sir yes Sir. Don't do anything I wouldn't do and make sure to not break anything in the hotel room." Emmett responded and then the line went dead. I turned back to look at them behind us and the two idiots were laughing their heads off and gyrating in their seats.

Edward flipped them off and stepped on the gas pedal to put more distance between our car and theirs.

He drove around to the valet who instantly appeared at Edward's side and the other guy appeared on mine and began opening my door but it wouldn't open. Edward was none too pleased as he glared at the guy outside my door.

"The fuck is he in such a hurry for?" He mused out loud and then opened his door before walking around to my side and glaring at the poor valet guy who nearly stumbled out of Edward's way. I saw Edward press on a button that disengaged the child lock he had apparently put on my door and then he held his hand out to help me out of the car.

"Baby I wish you'd get something closer to the ground," I whined as I had to hop out and try not to step on my beautiful dress. Edward gave me one of his signature smirks and didn't let go of my hand as he helped with my dress. Once the dress was safely on the pavement, I grabbed hold of it in my free hand and lifted it up ever so slightly so it didn't collect all the dirt from the street.

People's eyes followed us as Edward threw his keys to the valet boy and we made our way inside the grand hotel.

The reception area was immaculate with high ceilings and large chandeliers. The interior was a mix of old and new but nevertheless, it looked expensive.

Edward led me over to the check-in desk and we waited to be served.

I was getting intoxicated by his scent as I stood in his arms. It felt like there was only me and him in the world.

I tilted my head up and ran my nose along his neck, inhaling as I went. A soft sigh left my lips and his hand squeezed my hip momentarily and then I heard a throat clearing beside us.

I looked back and saw the reception girl shooting me daggers as I was seconds away from jumping him and having my wicked way with him in front of everyone.

"Welcome to the Peninsula, how can I help you, Sir?" She fixed her gaze onto Edward and I watched her eyes glaze over as she not so subtly checked him out.

"I've booked The Peninsula suite under Masen Anthony." He replied and I didn't dare question him why he used a different name.

"Certainly Mr. Anthony, let me just check the system." She replied sickeningly sweet. Her eyes quickly shooting to me and then at what I was wearing. I rested my left hand on Edward's chest and I marveled at my wedding ring and engagement ring as it sparkled in the light. I could feel her watching me as I carried on looking at my rings.

I knew for a fact now that Edward is married, he's going to become even more desirable to women. They'll see him as a challenge.

Edward looked down at me and smirked as he realized that I was staking my claim.

"Not long now baby, I can't wait to get you upstairs." He teased as he leaned down and placed a kiss on my lips, long enough to make me want more. What pleased me, even more, was that he said it loud enough for the receptionist to hear.

"Mr. Anthony, your suite is ready. Frederick will take your bags up for you if you would just follow him. If there is anything else I can help you with, anything at all, don't hesitate to contact me personally." She was about to write down the extension number for her but I placed my left hand on top of hers to stop her.

"You can rest assured my husband and I won't be needing your services...Becky." She looked down at the desk and looked all flustered as Frederick approached us and took the bag out of Edward's hand.

Edward chuckled and gently pulled on my arm.

"Can't take you anywhere wife." He retorted and snickered when Frederick, an older gentleman, laughed to himself before leading us towards the elevator.

The trip up to the top didn't take long and I was finding it harder and harder to keep my hands off Edward.

Frederick led us over to our door and inserted a key card to open it before holding the door open for us and ushering us inside.

We walked into what looked to be a foyer and Frederick placed our bag on the table in the middle and handed Edward the key card. I watched as Edward slipped him some cash and I took in the rest of the suite.

It was huge, definitely too big for the two of us but I was excited just being here.

It looked like it held every amenity as we walked further in. I gasped as I saw the baby grand piano in what looked like a living space and wrap-around terrace that overlooked Lake Michigan. I felt like a kid in a candy store and I had the sudden urge to press my face against the huge glass door. I was sure I squealed as I spotted the whirlpool tub, making a note to get Edward and I inside it before our night is over.

I melted into him as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"Happy?" He asked whilst trailing kisses across my shoulder.

"Extremely," I responded and pressed my ass against him, marveling at the fact that he was already hard for me.

I turned around in his arms and looked up at him.

"Is that for me?" I asked in a sultry voice and watched as his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

I kissed his throat, inhaling his scent once again and left gentle kisses across his jaw and up to his lips. He kissed me back with hunger and I moaned into his mouth as I pulled his shirt out and started working on the buttons, glad to see that he already shed his suit jacket.

All the pent-up energy from the car exploded around us as we continued to devour each other.

When Edward pulled away, he took my hand and led me into the bedroom. I stayed quiet the whole time, my skin prickling with excitement.

I didn't even bother with looking at the rest of the suite.

Once we were inside the bedroom, he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled me to stand in-between his legs and slowly ran his hand up my inner thigh, I shivered at the feeling. His hand traveled higher until he reached my aching pussy, I was soaked and I was pretty sure he could feel it through the dress.

He hadn't even done anything to me yet.

I could see it in his eyes, he wanted this as much as I did.

He brought both of his hands around to my back and down to where the four buttons sat. He slowly undid the buttons, one by one until the curve and crease of my ass were visible. My mouth parted with anticipation as he caressed my ass and then moved his hands up my back and around to my shoulders. He hooked the spaghetti straps around his fingers and slowly dragged it off my shoulders and down my arms.

There was nothing left to support the dress up and we both watched as it slid down my body like water, and pooled at our feet. He held my hand whilst I placed the other on his shoulder to support myself as I stepped out of the dress and moved it aside so I didn't rip it with my heels.

Edward then hiked one of my legs up and kissed the inside of my thigh, his fingers running up and down my legs as his kisses went higher and higher. He rested his forehead on my stomach and inhaled deeply, his nose skimming my pubic bone.

By now, my breathing was labored and all I wanted was my pussy on his tongue. I couldn't hold in the moan any longer and I fisted his shirt that he had untucked earlier.

"Perfetto." He muttered against my skin and my knees nearly buckled with the sound of Italian falling from his lips.

His hands are all over my body, working their way up to my breasts and he palms them; making the already peaked nipples even harder. It always amazed me how my breast fit perfectly in his hands.

He stood up and his lips were urgent as they attack mine. I dropped my leg back down and my hands move to finish unbuttoning the rest of his shirt. In my hurry to get him as naked as me, I lose patients with the last couple of buttons and just rip the shirt off him. I remove it off his broad shoulders and rake my nails down his chest, smirking at the growl it elicits from him.

I move to undo his dress pants, the only sound in the room is our labored breathing and the sound his belt buckle makes as I try to get it off him. As soon as I undo his pants, he instantly lifts me up off the ground and turns us so that my back faces the bed. He lowers us down, his tongue exploring my mouth as he rests his full weight on me. I moan again at the feel of his hard cock against my heated core.

He kisses his way down my neck and over to my breast, taking one nipple into his mouth and sucking it whilst palming the other, making me arch into him. I run my fingers through his hair, tugging it occasionally when his teeth graze my nipples.

He leaves a trail of kisses down to my stomach until he gets to where I want him to be. My legs spread for him a little but he moves his hands to my knees and spreads them wider. I'm writhing beneath him, waiting for him to do his magic and make me scream his name into these expensive walls.

"Edward baby please stop teas-" but he doesn't let me finish as he dives into my pussy, lapping at my clit. He feasted on me as I moaned and pulled on his hair as well as the sheets. He slipped two of his fingers inside me and started pumping, slowly at first but speeding up as I tried to meet his thrusts.

It isn't long before that delicious feeling at the pit of my stomach takes over and I let go, my thighs closing around his head as he doesn't relent his actions and continues to tongue fuck me after removing his fingers out of me. I feel like I could tear these sheets apart as his tongue keeps running up and down my pussy, dipping in every now and then. My shaking legs part further and his teeth graze on my clit ever so gently, he knows how sensitive it is, and I'm consumed once more by an earth-shattering orgasm.

I watch him move off me as he stands up straight again and removes the rest of his clothing before climbing back on top of me, engulfing my body with his.

His lips are back on mine as the tip of his cock brushes against my pussy, making my hips buck. I can taste myself on him and I bite his bottom lip as the tip of his cock keeps teasing me.

He wraps his arms around my back and flips us over so that I'm on top. I positioned him at my entrance but don't sink all the way down on him, I want to tease him as much as he teased me just seconds before.

His hands held onto my hips and every time he would lift his hips up, I did the same.

"Isabella," he groaned as I did it the third time.

"Yes…husband?" I moaned the word husband and watched his eyes darken even more with lust.

"Fuck, that sounds good." He rasped out as I finally did what we both wanted and sank down on his hard cock. He felt so fucking good and it felt like forever since I had him this way. I started off slow, trying to savor every move up and down his glorious length. My name fell from his lips as the tendons in his neck were deliciously taut, making me move my lips down and latch onto him.

Tonight he became mine forever and I his.

There was no greater feeling than this.

Our pace increased, the sound of skin slapping against skin rang out in the spacious room and I didn't hold back with my moans. I wanted the whole hotel to know how good he was making me feel.

"I feel you getting close again Isabella…that's it, baby, keep slamming that hot pussy down on me…fuck you feel so wet, so tight…I will never get enough of you Mrs. Cullen," he gritted out as my movements became erratic. My control was slipping and I began chasing that high again and Edward took over. He held my hips in place as he thrust up into me. Sweat beaded on his forehead as his eyes were locked onto mine. His lips parted at the same time my orgasm took over and he released into me, keeping a hold on me and bringing our bodies back down on the bed.

I slumped on top of him trying to catch my breath again and I could feel his heart racing against my chest. We stayed like that for a while, just wrapped up in each other's arms enjoying the feeling. His fingers drew random patterns on my back whilst I did the same on his chest.

I propped my chin on his right peck and looked at him. His eyes were closed and I've never seen him look so serene before.

"Edward?" I spoke softly so as not to ruin the tranquil atmosphere.

"Mhmm," he mumbled.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"For what angel?" He opened his eyes and looked at me.

"For making me the happiest I've ever been. For not walking away from me the night we met because you thought that would be the safest option. For trusting me. For loving me." I felt like he needed to know this. He needed to know what tonight has meant to me.

"I should be the one thanking you sweetheart. You've made me want to be a better man. You made me realize that there's more to life than the mob. That I can see a future ahead of me, a future that involves you, and one day, we'll have a family of our own. You have made me the happiest man in the world tonight." His excitement was evident inside me as he grew hard again.

I couldn't hold in the giggle as he flipped us over and positioned himself between my legs, pushing his cock deeper inside me and making me throw my head back into the pillows.

There was nothing funny about the pleasure he was giving me. My mewling had spurred him on, he still went slow but his thrusts became more precise. His cock stroked long and deep inside me, making my toes curl every time he would push back in.

I didn't want this night to end.


	27. Chapter 27

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 27**

We hardly left the bed the whole night, well apart from going outside and doing it in the hot tub, on the baby grand, in the shower, and then on the floor in the foyer. We couldn't keep our hands off each other.

At one point we took a break to order room service, laughing at the fancy names of food on the menu until we figured out it was just a cheeseburger and fries.

On two occasions we got a call from the front desk with a noise complaint, the first one was me screaming out Edward's name as he fucked me from behind. The second time they called, Edward had chased me around the suite because I had teased him, promising a happy ending but I didn't let him come and I ran around the suite, laughing the whole time. That led us to fucking on the foyer floor as he answered the call.

We had slept in late after neither one of us could move anymore. Luckily Edward had extended our check-out time to 3 pm.

Once we eventually woke up, I was too sore for any more fun so Edward decided to just fondle with my breasts instead, making me laugh in the process. I was sure my cheeks were going to split from smiling so much.

Being married to this man was everything I had ever dreamed of and it's only been hours since we were pronounced as husband and wife.

"Oh my god! I'm someone's wife!" I exclaimed as I kicked my legs in bed with excitement.

"That someone is a lucky son-of-a-bitch." He chuckled in my ear as he held me down with his huge arm.

"We have to get ready soon don't we?" I whispered, not wanting this blissful feeling to end.

"Sorry, angel but yes. We, unfortunately, we have to go back to the real world. I need to check in with dad and the guys. Need to find out what Hunter has been up to." He nestled deeper into my hair as he spoke, sending a shiver through my body and I felt him grin once he felt it.

"Nothing smells better than the scent of sex on these expensive sheets." He said out of the blue as his magical fingers danced across my lower stomach, causing a heavenly sensation between my legs. I wanted to say fuck it and allow him inside me but as soon as I shifted a little, I winced.

"Damn it, Cullen, I'm gonna look like I rode a fucking horse all night." I huffed in annoyance because I was thoroughly aroused right now but I couldn't do much about it.

"And what a sight that was." The cockiness rang clear in his tone as he managed to press even closer to my body, trapping his already hard cock between us.

"Edward," I pleaded.

"Isabella," he replied as his fingers slid through my lower lips and circled my clit. The moan that escaped me was porn worthy and I instinctively arched my back off the bed. Both of our breathing became rapid as he was getting off of giving me pleasure. With every hot breath I felt against my ear, my pulse quickened to the point where I thought I could feel it pumping under my skin.

Not once did he dip his fingers lower, his sole attention was to my clit. Again, proving just how well he knew my body.

"God Isabella, you're so wet. You just can't get enough can you baby?" He teased as he moved his head to the crook of my neck, leaving blazing kisses in the process.

"Never," I moaned as he put more pressure on my clit, keeping a steady pace on my most sensitive body part.

His tongue and lips continued to leave a hot trail down my neck and my fingers were hurting from clutching the sheets so tight. Edward continued to whisper all the dirty things he wanted to do to me if he could. Letting me know how he wants us to fuck around the world and promising me that we'll do just that when we go on our honeymoon. When his pace picked up, I couldn't hold back the inevitable. With a loud scream of pleasure, I finally let me body take over as pleasure coursed through me.

Every orgasm he gives me feels like the first one.

We continue to lay on the bed as my breathing calms down. I straighten my legs out and they shake in the process, I laugh and can feel Edward smirking without looking at him.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk once we get up." My voice sounded hoarse even to my own ears. I guess that's what happens when you spend most of the night screaming your husband's name in pleasure.

"I can always carry you." He says into my shoulder as he peppers it with small kisses.

We lay wrapped around each other for what feels like hours until the phone rings again reminding us of our check-out time. For a brief second, I thought it was going to be another complaint but it was just the harsh reminder that we have to leave our bubble and join the real world again.

We jumped in the shower and managed to keep our hands to ourselves – mostly. We got dressed and I packed my beautiful dress away in the garment bag whilst Edward did the same with his suit. I wanted to hang my dress on display as a constant reminder of last night. It felt wrong to think I'd have to get a new one for this 'second wedding' that we'll have to organize. It still surprised me that some traditions could not be budged.

"Are you ready?" He spoke, as he leaned against the doorframe and watched me.

"Yeah, I just need to pack my shoes away and we can go." I proceeded to do just that and I felt his hands on my hips as he drew me in from behind. I wrapped my arms around his and we simply stood there, looking out the huge ass windows into Lake Michigan that glistened in the sun.

I turned Edward's wrist so I could see his watch and saw that we had 10 minutes before check-out.

"Come on handsome, let's go." I turned around in his arms and pecked his lips, he leaned in closer to deepen it and I smiled into the kiss before pulling back.

"Come on, we need to check in with everyone. And we need to tell our parents," I groaned as I realized that mine haven't even met Edward properly yet and I'll be calling them to let them know we got married. I was sure it will drive my father into an early grave as he is only just getting used to the idea of me being with Edward and being involved in his world.

"Are you scared?" he asked, I was expecting a hint of teasing from him but he sounded genuinely curious.

"A little. I don't want your mom to think I forced us into it and I don't want my parents to find another reason to not like you, especially since they haven't met you yet." I confessed and I was instantly on alert when Edward shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"What?" I asked as he was about to turn away from me and walk to the foyer. I took hold of his wrist and tugged him back to me.

"Edward?" I asked again as he wouldn't meet my gaze.

"They've met me." He said into the floor.

"What do you mean they've met you?" I ask as nothing made sense, how could my parents have met him?

"I met with your father for lunch whilst you were studying. I didn't expect your mother to be there but they had apparently agreed to go out that day so she met him at the restaurant. The conversation was…tense, as you can probably imagine. He gave me a list of reasons as to why you shouldn't be with me and that I can't provide you the life you deserve. It wasn't until your mom turned up that he actually sat back and listened to what I had to say." He spoke softly like he was afraid of my reaction.

"And what did you say?" I had to coax it out of him apparently.

"I told him he was right." He confessed.

I felt my heart begin to sink to my toes as my breathing increased.

Surely he didn't still believe that?

"I told him he was right and that I don't deserve you. I told him how, ever since you came into my life, I had to rethink my actions because I now had someone else in my life to consider. I told him how much I love you, how much you mean to me and my family. I told him that I never once tried to interfere with your studies or tell you to drop out. I told him how much you have changed me as a man and that I would die before I'd let anything happen to you. I told them that I intend to marry you with or without their blessing and I reminded him how much it would mean to you if they would accept that. Your mom knows more than she lets on because she instantly knew who I was when she saw me." He cocked his eyebrow as he recalled their lunch date and I stood there, trying to wrap my head around it all.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I managed to ask.

"I honestly don't know, I had hoped they would reach out and tell you themselves and then the whole mess with Felix happened and honestly, it just slipped by me. I'm sorry, I never meant to lie to you about it, I was genuinely going to tell you the next time they called but it slipped my mind. Are you mad?" He finally looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

"Kind…a little…well yeah! Don't lie to me again Edward I mean it." I tried to be stern but if I really thought about it, I wasn't sure if I actually was mad at him for meeting with them.

"I just wish you would have told me you'd organized lunch with them, then I could have been there with you and supported you. You know I will always be in your corner. They don't know you as I do, they only see what they choose to see. Their opinions of you could never sway mine, marrying you should surely prove that." I walked a couple of steps closer to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, looking up at him. He searched my eyes for something before slowly leaning down and pressing his lips to mine.

This kiss was slow, sensual, as we poured our love for each other through it. My tongue peaked out and I licked his lower lip, asking for access which he willingly granted me. I wound my fingers through his hair, bringing his head down closer to me so I didn't have to stay on my tiptoes.

I felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and we reluctantly pulled apart. I tried catching my breath back as he always managed to steal it away every time we kissed, whilst he checked his phone.

"Come beautiful, we need to go." He held out his hand for me and I took it whilst he leaned to the side of me and picked up our bag.

We made our way out of the suite and waited for the elevator to come up.

When the door opened to reveal the hotel maid, I had a weird feeling that I'd seen her before but I couldn't figure out where. Edward has to almost pull me inside the elevator as I racked my brain.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I jumped as the elevator dinged and opened up allowing us into the reception area. Edward kept sneaking glances at me but he didn't question my catatonic mood.

Edward was handing over his black card to the guy behind the counter when I heard a voice I've not heard in a while call my name.

"Isabella?" I turned slowly to face my mother.

"Hi mom," as the words left my lips, Edward turned back to look at me.

"Mrs. Swan," he said gently, whilst placing a hand on the small of my back.

"Edward nice to see you again." She replied sheepishly as she glanced between me and him.

"It's ok mom, I know you had lunch together." I watched slightly amused as her shoulders relaxed and she offered me a gentle smile.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and then her eyes drifted to my glistening left hand. The moment she saw my rings, her hand flew to her mouth and she looked to the left of her. As I followed her gaze, I saw my father approaching us.

"Isabella, Cullen." He said as he leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek and holds his hand out for Edward to shake.

"I'm sorry Mr. Anthony, I need you to sign this." The guy behind the counter said and we all turned to look at him. I could feel the questioning gazes from my parents and as I turned to look at them, their eyes were fixed on my left hand that rested on Edward's shoulder.

I was about to open my mouth and say something but then I saw two people that were going to save this.

"Renee, Charlie I'm so glad you made it." Esme walked over to us and hugged my parents like they were old friends.

"Bella sweetheart what are you guys doing here?" I noticed she didn't say Edward's name out loud.

I felt Edward turn to face us all and I noticed he shared a look between Carlisle before leaning in to give Esme a hug and a kiss.

"Isa you look great sweetheart, what are you both doing here?" Carlisle asked and once again, before I could even say anything, Esme gasped next to him.

"Mom, Dad, Renee, Charlie…Bella and I got married last night." He couldn't wipe the smile off his face even if he had a gun pointing at his head, and I felt my face stretch and match his as he wrapped a protective arm around my waist.

"You did what?" My dad seethed and mom tried to calm him but if looks could kill, my Edward would be dead.

"We got married dad," his attitude wasn't going to stop me from the overwhelming happiness I felt as I said it.

"Charlie, dad, can I have a word with you both?" At their nod, Edward kissed the top of my head.

"I love you, just give me a minute to explain to him and we can get going." I nod in response and watch as the three most important men in my life walk over to the seating area and huddle close for what I assume will be a heated conversation.

"Oh my god tell us everything." Esme gushed as she wrapped me up in her arms and gave me a tight hug. I was instantly enveloped in a different set of arms, arms I had almost forgotten what they felt like. I couldn't hold my tears in any longer as the three of us stood in our own little huddle.

"I had come home from the hospital with Rose and he asked me once again if I will marry him, of course, I said yes…again, but this time he got down on one knee and produced me the ring. I promise to you both, we were going to wait until after Alice and Jasper's wedding to do anything because I know there's a certain tradition he has to follow but we were so ready, we didn't want to wait any longer so we decided to do it then and there. He even picked out my wedding dress!" I gushed and they both gasped.

"It is beautiful! I want to frame it and look at it every day as a reminder of last night. We then went out and brought our rings." I held my hand out so they could see it up close, I felt giddy once again as I watched them ooh and ahh over them.

"Baby they're both beautiful." My mom spoke softly and Esme wrapped an arm around her shoulders, rubbing it up and down in comfort.

I wasn't sure what to say, she's never once used a term of endearment with me, I've always been Isabella to her.

"I thought we were going to go to the courthouse to get our license but he surprised me once again and took me to a little worn-down church that apparently his grandparents got married at. We got ready and the rest, as they say, is history."

"Best night of my entire existence." I heard the velvet voice behind me and my small huddle broke apart. I turned to look at him, my tears now flowing freely as I ran over to him and he caught me in his arms.

This whole morning was overwhelming, my life seemed almost too good to be true.

Someone cleared their throat behind me and I reluctantly let go of Edward to see my father looking at me like he was seeing me for the first time. There was amazement and wonder in his brown eyes as he looked at us. Looked at the way Edward held me tight to him. He looked at the smile on my face as I stood in my husband's arms. I wanted him to see just how happy Edward makes me with his own eyes.

"Baby girl," he whispered and a sob escaped me. Edward loosened his hold on me and I collapsed into my daddy's arms.

"Will you guys join us?" He asked softly and it only made me cry more because I realized, he finally accepted this.

"I'm sorry Charlie, we'd love to but I have to go deal with a few things and Bella and the girls already have plans." Edward responded and I tried to get my breathing in order and make sure I didn't leave any make-up on my father's suit jacket.

"Why don't we do dinner at our place soon?" Esme spoke up.

"That would be great Esme thank you." I finally found my voice, grateful once again that Edward's parents were here too.

Which got me thinking.

"What are you all doing here anyway?" I finally ask.

"Oh, we decided to have lunch and catch up, now that they've met Edward we thought it would be a good idea to explain a few things and hopefully answer any questions they may have. Plus, we've not seen each other for years. Renee and I used to run in the same circles before I had Edward." Esme smiled warmly at my mom who returned her smile and laced her arm through my dad's.

"We've missed you," she says to me as she lifts her hand and gently runs her fingers through my hair, tucking it away behind my ear whilst dad tightens his hold on me.

"Can I call you later?" I asked and smiled back at her as she beamed at me and nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Angel we need to get going." Edward said softly, I saw the regret in his eyes as he looked at my tear-stained face.

I nodded and went on my tiptoes to give my father a peck on the cheek. He kissed my temple and stepped back so I could hug mom.

"I'm sure you were the most beautiful bride there ever was. I'm so proud of you darling. Call me anytime you want ok?" I tried to suppress another sob from escaping so all I could do was nod. We pulled apart and Edward stepped up next to me, resting his hand on my lower back again as Esme and Carlisle stepped forward and embraced us.

"So proud of you son. You couldn't have chosen a better partner for this life. Isa, sweetheart, welcome to the family." Carlisle kissed the top of my head whilst Esme squeezed us tighter before they both stepped back.

"I love you all, so much. I promise we will all sit down and explain why we did it, but just know I couldn't be any happier than I am now. Mom, Esme, don't worry, we have no choice but to do it all again." I tried to lighten the mood and it seemed to have worked as both women laughed.

"Edward, remember what you promised me." Dad said. As I turned to look at my husband, he simply nodded.

"With my life sir." Was his only response. I didn't question it, but I got the gist of what his promise might have been. I'm pretty sure it was the same thing Carlisle promised my dad all those years ago.

We all said our goodbyes again before we parted ways. They were gathered to be seated for lunch and Edward and I walked out of the hotel and into a particularly sunny afternoon in Chicago.

I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly as the valet pulled up with Edward's car.

"You ok?" he asked me as he placed his hand on the back of my neck and applied gentle pressure on it, giving me a small massage with his magnificent fingers.

"Never better." I responded and stepped back as the valet opened my door for me.

Once Edward and I were strapped in and on our way back to the apartment, Edward's phone rang. The caller ID said it was Jasper and Edward cursed before picking up.

"Tell me."

"You're one lucky motherfucker did you know that? We need that wife of yours on our team jackass!" I giggled but Edward didn't look that pleased.

"Just tell me what you found out fucker!" He growled and my pussy clenched at the sound. I not-so-subtly rubbed my legs together and he whipped his head to look at me with that ever-present smirk on his face.

"Bella was right about Ben. He was one of Stefan's guys. Can you come to the warehouse?" I could hear screams in the background, the hairs on my arms stood on end at the sound.

"Fuck! What the fuck do the Romanians want with us? Shit yeah, I'll swing by. Just…keep him alive until I get there." He ended the call and I could see him watching me through the corner of his eye.

"Angel I'm sorry. I'll drop you back at the penthouse and head over to the warehouse. It really shouldn't take me more than half-hour." I could sense how tense he was as he kept running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Why can't I come with you?" I asked. I've wanted to see this warehouse for a while now but Edward always found a reason for me to stay behind.

"It's not a place I want you to see Bella. I don't want you to see that side of me. Ever." He put more emphasis on the last word but it still didn't deter me from wanting to go.

"Edward, nothing you can do or say would ever make me afraid of you. I'm more worried about the fact of being turned on by that side of you." I tried to joke but the expression on his face told me he didn't find it funny, at all.

"Isabella-" he growled.

"Don't. We're equals now Edward or have you already forgotten that? I can handle shit better than you think." I retorted and he was going to argue back but his phone started ringing again.

There was no caller ID this time.

"What?!" he barked at the phone.

"Well if it isn't the infamous Edward Cullen. It's been one hell of a challenge to get your number Cullen Royalty. Tell me, how's our Isabella Swan doing?" A chilling voice rang loud and clear through the car's speakers. All of my muscles were locked in place and I didn't need to be a genius to figure out who this was.

"Hunter…well well well, it's been a while. I hear congratulations is in order, you gon' become a daddy, well isn't that sweet. Let's hope for the kid's sake it will look like Victoria." Edward seethed.

"Keep her name out of your filthy mouth Cullen! Or I swear to god it will be the last time you see your precious Isabella." Hunter screamed through the speakers.

"Utter my wife's name once again and you're as good as dead." There was a sudden calmness to Edward's voice. Which made it sound ten times more deadly.

"Wife? Don't make me laugh you piece of shit. Do you think that's gonna stop me? I've made some new friends who don't follow our daddies rules, and they've helped me see things their way. I will get to her one way or another. Better watch your back, Eddie." He sang the last few words and the line went dead.

I held my breath for one more second before panic began rising within me. I reached out and clutched Edward's arm, digging my nails into his shirt sleeve.

We had been close to the penthouse when he called but Edward drove straight past it.

I guess I will be seeing the warehouse after all.


	28. Chapter 28

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 28**

The days that followed after the phone call from Hunter were tense, to say the least.

I hardly saw Edward and when I did, he was always pissed off. I went to bed alone and I woke up alone those past few days and I was getting sick of it. He wouldn't talk to me about what the fuck was going on and the only thing I knew for sure was the fact that he upped my security.

He even put Demetri on my case now.

He would come in, wolf down his dinner, tell me he loves me and that I'm his life and then locks himself in that office of his. Fuck me, it hasn't even been a week since we got married and the last time he held me in his arms was when we got home from the warehouse.

It wasn't at all what I expected. He had people milling in and out constantly. Delivery trucks, crates, and even a cargo ship were all inside and outside of the huge-ass building. There was also construction work going on since the Felix attack but it looked like most of the building was unscathed. It was also surprisingly airy and light.

I would have laughed at the way people reacted when they saw him but nothing about that day was funny anymore. I'd gladly put a bullet between Hunter's eyes myself for ruining our blissful moment.

Edward made me sit in his office whilst he went to 'talk' with Ben. What was interesting was that the 'interrogation' room – as I have dubbed it- was right next to his office. He had a one-way mirror there but no sound, which I assume at the time was just turned off.

_I watched as he calmly walked into the room and sat down on the chair across from a scrawny looking guy with bloodshot eyes and twitching fingers. He didn't look a day over 20 but he looked like he'd seen some shit, or injected it into his veins. There was a part of me that felt sorry for him but then I realized that he ratted Edward out and gave Hunter his information and god knows what else. _

_I couldn't for the life of me figure out why Edward would have hired him in the first place. But he probably saw something in him and wanted to help him. _

_I watched as Edward leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out under the table, folding his hands behind his head and just looking at Ben who kept shifting in his chair and trying to not make any eye contact with anyone in the room. Jasper stood in one corner whilst Emmett stood by the door, blocking it with his wide shoulders. There was also what looked like a toolbox next to Jasper and I saw Ben's eyes drift to it every now and again._

_I was transfixed by it all and couldn't take my eyes off the mirror. _

_I jumped when Edward quickly sat up and banged a fist on the table, Ben's reaction mirrored mine. I clutched my heart in an attempt to calm it but I still couldn't take my eyes away from Edward._

_He said something to Jasper who then proceeded to open the toolbox. A sinister smile on both Emmett and Jasper's lips made me second guess whether I wanted to carry on watching whatever would happen next. _

_I quickly looked around to see if there was some sort of button that would let me hear what was being said and then I noticed a few switches on the wall to my right that looked like normal light switches, but it was too far from the door to be an actual light switch. I was tempted to press on them to see which one was the sound switch but I was too scared to press the wrong one and accidentally turn the light off in there and alert Edward that I was watching. _

_I quickly did another scan of the room and noticed a round air vent that had a lid on it. I scampered down to the floor and popped the lid off and I could hear everything that was being said, albeit faintly._

_My hand flew to cover my mouth as I gasped at what Ben was saying._

"_I swear I don't fucking know anyone named Hunter! Come on Edward, please, you have to trust me!" He pleaded._

_Then I heard a laugh that sounded like it should belong to my husband but I have never heard it sound so harsh before._

"_You're a fucking fool if you think I'm going to trust you after you sold me out. There's a fucking reason I didn't want Hunter to have my details!" He growled out._

"_But he already knows where you…live" I heard the moment it suddenly dawned on him that he slipped up. I heard what could only be described as a desperate sob escape him and I wished I could see and hear it all but the sound through the vent was already faint enough that I had to press my ear against it._

"_No no no no no please!" He wailed and I quickly shot up from my position on the floor and watched as Edward brought down a hammer onto Ben's right hand, no doubt crushing the small bones. I could see and hear a faint scream and I wanted to look away, I really did. _

_But I couldn't._

_I watched transfixed as the man I married strides over to where Ben is and grabs him by the hair only to smack his face against the table. My stomach is in knots and I felt sweat run down my neck. _

_With every smack on the table, more and more blood splattered across it and I was sure Ben had already passed out from the pain. _

_I couldn't look anymore. _

_I moved away from the one-way mirror and walked over to the couch in his office. My body dropped down like a tonne of brick. I buried my face in my hands as my arms rested on top of my knees. I couldn't get the image out of my head and I replayed it all, over and over again. _

_I couldn't help but wonder what I would have done if I was in Edward's shoes. Would I have let him go, pardoned his disloyalty and asked him to not do it again? Would I have just taken the easy route and put a bullet through his head to end him? _

_I wasn't sure what I would have done. _

_This wasn't something I was brought up with. It wasn't something I dealt with on a daily basis._

_But Edward was and Edward did. _

_I continued to sit there and ponder everything I know and have seen. _

_I know for sure that I was now probably in more danger than before._

_I know Edward was not going to let this go until Hunter is gone and will probably do something stupid that could get him hurt._

_I know that I have to go back to Sam's to practice more on my aim._

_When Edward returned to his office, I didn't look up but I felt him looking at me._

"_Bella," was all he uttered as he continued to stand by the door. I was so lost in my own head that I didn't acknowledge him. I heard him sigh and move closer but all I could think about was how I could help him. _

_How could I make my safety easier for him so he could do what he needs to? _

_I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder and I heard his quick intake of breath._

"_Bella I-" but I cut him off._

"_I think I should stay at your parent's house." They had around the clock security and I know he would feel better knowing I wasn't alone at the penthouse._

"_Why?" he asked, I couldn't place the emotion I could hear from him though._

_When I eventually looked up, I saw hurt in his eyes. His shoulders were tense and his breathing was rapid from the way his chest rose and fell. _

"_I think it's for the best." Why couldn't he see that?_

"_So you're leaving me?" He growled out. I narrowed my eyes at him, not understanding where the fuck he got that idea from. I stood up and we were face to face, I could feel the heat coming off his body and only then did I notice he had specks of blood on his shirt._

"_What?" _

"_You finally saw the real me and now you're ready to run? Was that all it took? Was seeing me do my fucking job all it took for you to finally realize what a monster I am?" He seethed as he shifted even closer to me._

"_What the fuck are you talking about? I'm trying to help you!" I screamed back, my temper flaring._

"_How are you running away from me helping me?! Do you not realize the fact that if I can't see you or know where you are, I can't fucking function? Do you think I would trust anyone else with your life?! Tell me, are you running away from me or do you think I can't protect you?" He bellowed back, his nostrils flaring._

"_I'm not running away from you! Of course I know you can protect me! You've been fucking doing it since the night we met. But don't you think it would be easier for you to get this fucker off my back if you knew I'd be safe at your parent's house and not alone at the penthouse? Surely you trust the people protecting your Mom and Dad's lives." I tried to calm myself but I felt like he wasn't seeing my point._

"_I DON'T TRUST THEM WITH YOURS!" He roared and I sat back down on the couch from the shock of it. _

_It was like a switch was being flicked as I watched him morph back into the Edward I know. He ran his hands through his hair, tugging it to the point where his knuckles turned white. _

_He moved quickly and was suddenly on his knees in front of me._

_It looked like he wanted to place his hands on mine that were resting on my lap but I watched him second guess himself and retreat them back. _

_I had never seen him look so vulnerable like he did at this moment. God I could fucking understand how worried he was about me, but to see him second guess whether he could touch me broke my heart._

_He moved ever so slowly and rested his forehead on my knees. His shoulders sagging when I didn't push him away._

_I would never push him away. _

"_I need you with me." He muttered into the floor. "Now more than ever," he continued on to say as I gently ran my fingers through his hair. _

_We had stayed like that for what felt like hours not saying anything, both of us lost in our own thoughts._

"_How do we do this?" I finally asked._

"_Together." Was the only thing he said._

When we returned home that night, he stripped me down and carried me to bed where he proceeded to make love to me, holding me as tightly as possible whilst moving against me. I would be lying if I said it wasn't the most intense orgasm I've ever had. Because it was.

I don't know what it was about the way we made love, but the aftershock of it all made me crumble in his arms. He held me ask I cried and didn't let go until the next morning.

That was also the last time we had sex.

I tried every night to coax him into bed with me but he kept reminding me that he had work to do and that he needed Hunter dead to protect me.

I stopped trying after a couple of times.

It had been a while since I had to take matters into my own hands.

* * *

We were 2 days away from leaving for Vegas and I had reports due left, right, and center. As soon as I was done with one, I would submit it and start on the other. One of my professors was being a total dick and wouldn't accept my report submission online and wants it handed to him in person.

I tried my hardest to get out of going but he wouldn't budge.

I ran into Edward's office and connected to the wireless printer and printed out the report. I tapped the desk with my fingers as I waited for the 15-page essay to print on the highest of quality paper that the dick requested whilst gazing around the office. My eyes constantly drifting to the gun wall and it made me want to visit Sam even more.

When I broached the subject with Edward, he instantly shot me down.

It felt like I was on lockdown at the penthouse and I was actually going stir crazy. Rose and Alice would come to visit but we'd spend most of our time studying so we had nothing to worry about when we leave for Vegas.

All the wedding planning had been done so all we needed to do was to fly out there.

When I told the girls of my own wedding, Rose cried and Alice ran to see my wedding dress. Alice and I had gotten so drunk that night that she proceeded to give Rose and I a lap dance so we could give her some pointers for the wedding night.

She said it was a surprise for her Jazzy.

I cried tears of laughter as she gyrated her hips against us. Rose even threw dollar bills at her, I still have no idea where she got them from but it was comical nonetheless.

I don't know how I ended up in bed that night but I woke up naked, horny and wet. Of course, my husband was nowhere to be seen and when I felt his side of the bed, it was already cold.

I was brought back to the present when the printer beeped, alerting me my report was done. I quickly gathered it all and stapled it so I don't lose any of the pages.

Now all I had to do was come up with a way to leave the penthouse without Edward blowing a casket.

I picked up my phone and called him. At least he still picked up the damn phone when I called.

"What's wrong?" I was pretty sure I could imitate him perfectly by this point because this was the usual answer I got when I called.

"Hello to you too, husband, I'm fine thank you, I slept great. How's your day going dear?" Sarcasm dripped from my lips as I swiveled on his office chair; I loved spending time here because it smelled of him.

"Baby, please," he pleaded, his voice clipped.

"One of my professors won't let me submit my work online and wants my report printed and handed over in person. I thought you should know because I need to leave the apartment," I tried keeping my tone light so not to agitate him even more.

I am so close to hunting that fucker down myself and end this shit show once and for all. I want my fucking Edward back.

"Fuck!" He exclaimed, my little speech having the complete opposite affected.

I heard him move the phone away as his voice became muffled whilst he barked out orders.

"Demetri will take you." I could feel he was about to end the call and I was having none of that.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen you better not hang up on me or I swear to god!" I screeched into the phone. And heard him sigh in response.

"I know and I understand you're busy and I get it. I really do. But, Edward…baby, I fucking miss you. You hardly talk to me and when you do, I feel like I can't say shit without you losing your rag. I hardly ever see you and don't even get me started about sleeping with you. You said we'll figure this out together yet you're the one keeping me at arm's length. This was why I suggested I stay at your parent's house in the first place. I'm going stir fucking crazy here!" I tried to calm my breathing down but this whole mess wasn't helping.

"Angel…I'm…let me just get shit done today. I'm so fucking close to getting him. I'm sorry for how I've been. It would kill me to let my guard down and if something were to happen to you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Just…give me today and I promise things will change. I fucking miss you too Isabella, don't ever doubt that." And with that, he was gone.

I slumped back in the chair and mulled over what he said. I hope that whatever he has planned will work.

My phone started ringing again and I noticed it was Demetri.

"Hi, Dem,"

"Mrs. Cullen, I'm downstairs with Siobhan, we're ready when you are." Ah yes, Siobhan.

She was the person Edward had hired to shadow me when I had to go into UoC. She was no taller than Alice and fit in perfectly with the student crowd. She is deadly as hell and I've been trying to set her up with Seth. He gets all flustered when she's around and she acts like she's not interested but I've seen her check him out.

They both had one huge thing in common. Whilst Seth was bringing up his sister Leah, Siobhan was raising her own son. It wasn't a happy pregnancy and from what I managed to coax out of her, she was raped at a house party when she was 16. She was too scared to tell anyone and once she had the first scan, she wouldn't even think about aborting him.

That whole experience is every woman's worst nightmare but she came out on top of it all. She was raising the cutest little boy with the help from her aunt and she kicked ass on a daily basis. She runs a self-defense class weekly and doesn't take shit from anyone.

I was extremely wary of her at first but she holds a lot of respect for Edward and Esme and treated me like an actual person and not some china doll. She took her job seriously but she is also one of the funniest people I've ever met.

"Let me get changed and I'll be down in 5." I finally said before we hung up.

I made my way into our bedroom and tried to find something to wear, it was getting colder in Chicago and I was running out of warm clothes. I only needed to run in and hand the report over so I decided on a pair of blue ripped jeans, a thick white sweater that I tucked the front of into the jeans and a pair of white chunky sneakers. I let my hair down and put on a beanie to hide the fact that I needed to wash it.

Like I said, these reports were kicking my ass and I had no time to worry about how I looked.

A bath once I get back sounds like a dream though.

I grabbed my bag and the report off of Edward's desk and made my way downstairs.

Edward made me scan my eye and finger so I too had a way of getting into the penthouse without him. He even quizzed me on where all the hidden guns were. I'm happy to report that I remembered every single one of them.

Once I descended to the ground floor, Siobhan was leaning against the wall scrolling through her phone. She turned her head to look at me and crossed her eyes to make me laugh. I shook my head at her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, steering her to the door where Demetri stood stock still, ever the professional.

"Right, Bella posse, here's the plan, we go to UoC, Siobhan and I go see my douchebag of a professor, I hand my report in and we come back." I looked at the two of them who shared a look before they both nodded.

Demetri was the first to exit, he did a quick sweep of the alley and motioned us to step out. I was in the middle of the two as we made our way into the car that looked more like a tank.

Edward never did anything half-assed.

The drive was relatively quiet other than me asking Siobhan about her son Matthew. He was currently into comic books and made her read to him any chance he got. Her face lit up every time she spoke about him and I was eager to meet him. But just like Seth, she didn't want Matthew in the mix of her work. It once again reminded me just the sort of life I married into. Protecting anyone in the mafia can't be an easy job. It's also probably why Demetri never shared anything about his personal life.

Once we were on campus, we parked and the three of us got out of the tank. Siobhan and I linked arms to blend in whilst Demetri followed behind us. He obviously stood out like a sore thumb but I actually didn't care. I'd hate to see the havoc Edward would cause if something were to happen to me whilst we're here.

Demetri stayed by the entrance whilst Siobhan and I made our way to the Modern History department to see Professor Douchebag.

"OHMYGOD Bella!" I heard Lauren screech before I saw her and I was suddenly engulfed by her huge tits.

"Lauren, hey!" It suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't seen the sorority girls in forever.

"Fuck me, Swan, what the hell happened to you? You're glowing! Jesus fucking Christ you're not pregnant, are you?" She whisper yelled and Siobhan and I both laughed.

"No bitch I'm not pregnant. I'm in love," I gushed and Lauren cackled whilst giving me another hug. We stood in the middle of the hallway just holding each other and it was like a bucket of cold water was thrown over me as I realized just how much my life has changed recently.

"Don't be a stranger ok? The girls and I miss you guys. It's not the same since the three of you left. Look, I gotta go, it was so nice to fucking see you, Bella! Don't be a stranger!" She shouted as she walked backward and turned left towards the literature department.

"She's…a lot," Siobhan commented as people continued to look at me. Some I recognized whilst other's not so much and it made me a little uneasy. Obviously, I don't expect to know everyone that comes to this university but I've been here long enough to recognize the majority of them.

"Come on let's get this over with. This place is starting to creep me out," I said as we continued to walk.

We had to stand outside the lecture hall as a class was still in session. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long, and soon, people started milling out of the room.

Siobhan followed me into the room and Prof. Andrews lifted his head up from the desk and scowled at us.

Fucking douchebag.

I always hated this class.

"Miss Swan, how nice of you to grace me with your presence." He snarked and I wished I could pull Siobhan's gun out and blow a kneecap or two.

"Professor Andrews, here's my final report as you requested." I proceeded to hand it to him but his eyes shot down to his oak desk before looking back at my report, instructing me to place it on the desk with his beady little eyes.

I refrained from throwing it on his precious desk like I wanted to.

"Always a pleasure Professor Andrews," I retorted and turned to leave.

I don't know what made me do it but I turned back to look at him and proudly told him "And it's Mrs. Cullen now Andrews." I said and laughed as his eyes bugged out before the scowl returned. He obviously knew the name it seems.

"You're a badass Mrs. Cullen," Siobhan laughed along with me as we made our way out of the building.

When we stepped outside, I noticed Demetri was on high alert with his phone pressed to his ear as he scanned the surrounding area.

_Give me a fucking break._

"No, I don't see him or anyone else for that matter, just a bunch of kids. Mr. Cullen, I have her in sight and she is perfectly safe. They were in and out of the building within 7 minutes. Yes…no…I understand. I'll keep you posted." He pocketed his phone but didn't stop scanning the campus area.

I was once again sandwiched between Demetri and Siobhan as we made our way back to the tank that was parked just outside of campus on the main road.

People continued to mill about around us and I kept my head down and my eyes on Demetris back. I would have walked smack into him if I wasn't paying such close attention when he suddenly stopped and drew his gun out.

Before I could say anything, there was a screeching of tires as a black SUV pulled up on the opposite side of the street and a window rolled down. It was like everything was happening in slow motion like they show in movies as I saw the barrel of a gun sticking out through the window and then I heard the unmistakable sound of a gun firing.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and felt what was probably a bullet shoot by my left ear before I was thrown on the ground. I grunted from the impact and heard screams and more guns firing as Siobhan and Demetri, who was clutching the side of his neck, continued to shoot at the SUV.

From my position on the ground, I watched a guy about Edward's age quickly look out the window. He had dirty blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and a sneer on his lips as he continued to shoot in my direction.

A shot from either one of my bodyguards must have caught him in the arm because he quickly slumped back before the window rolled back up and the SUV sped away.

People continued to scream and run around us whilst Demetri and Siobhan grabbed me by the arms and lifted me up before almost throwing me into the back of the tank.

I tried to catch my breath but I was finding it impossible, it was like all of the oxygen had left my lungs as my ears kept ringing.

"Isabella are you ok?" Demetri shouted back at me but I felt like I was about to pass out.

"Bella focus! Come on deep breaths! Bella! Don't make me fucking shoot you too!" Siobhan screamed at me to get me to focus but I was still struggling to catch my breath.

I suddenly felt what could only be described as a slap on my cheek and my eyes shot to the front of the car as Demetri kept looking back at me through the rear-view mirror and tiny Siobhan was wedged between the middle console so she could reach me.

"Did you just slap me?" I asked in a daze.

"You needed to snap out of it," she said like it was no big deal and I was about to ask her what the fuck she was doing but then I realized that she was right. My breathing was still labored but I didn't feel as light-headed as I did a moment ago.

I was snapped back to reality as I watched blood treacle through Demetri's fingers that were still clutching his neck.

"Shit Dem you got hit!" I screamed as he continued to weave through traffic.

"I'm fine Mrs. Cullen." He said through clenched teeth and I saw Siobhan rolls her eyes but she kept an eye on the wheel as he drove like a maniac.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Back to Mr. and Mrs. Cullen's house, they have an on-call doctor to patch Demetri up." Siobhan replied before holding her hand out for me to take. I grasped onto her hand and didn't want to let go.

The drive to Esme and Carlisle's didn't take long and before I knew it, my door was opened as another one of the guards held his hand out for me to help my climb out. My legs were shaking as I hit the pebbled driveway and both Siobhan and Demetri were by my side instantly.

"I'm fine guys just give me a second. Someone get to doc out for Demetri," I demanded instead and saw a tall guy with jet black hair step out of the house and make his way over to us.

"What happened?" He asked as he removed Demetri's hand from his neck and I finally saw the deep gash as blood continued to spill out of it.

"Oh god!" I cried out.

"Siobhan, get her inside and get her a drink, she needs sugar," Demetri instructed and I was led inside the house.

I was surprised no one was home because I was sure Esme would have greeted us by now.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Mrs. Cullen is at some sort of gala luncheon and Mr. Cullen is with Edward," she informed me as she led me into their pristine kitchen.

There was a part of me that was glad no one else was here, I don't think I could handle being coddled right now.

I was fucking furious.

There was only one place I wanted to be at right now.

As Siobhan's back was turned to me whilst she was looking inside the refrigerator, I slipped off the barstool and tried to quietly make my way out into the garage.

"I have a son Bella, you think I don't know when he's trying to sneak around? Where do you think you're going?" She asked me in her Mom voice and any other day, I would have laughed but I was so fucking angry.

"I need to let off some steam, you got a problem with that?" I sneered at someone who has become a good friend and who saved my fucking life today.

"Not at all, got a place in mind?" She smirked at me as she took a swing from a water bottle before throwing a soda can towards me which I caught instinctively.

"Yeah, Sam's," I said as I turned away from her and continued to make my way into the garage.

I knew there was no way she was going to let me go on my own so it didn't surprise me when she followed me into the garage.

I walked over to the small cabinet that held the collection of car keys and eyed up the Audi keys to the R8.

"Sweet." Came an exited voice behind me.

For a second I thought she expected me to hand her the keys but I was surprised when she walked over to the passenger side.

"Come on then, we haven't got all day. This is the perfect opportunity to get out whilst Demetri is otherwise occupied." She wagged her eyebrows at me and I snickered before unlocking the car.

Once I sat behind the wheel and the car purred to life, I thought I was going to come on the spot. It had been too long since I got to sit behind the wheel. I was going to take full advantage of it.

I fobbed the garage door and it opened slowly to reveal an almost empty driveway apart from the tank.

I pulled out without hesitation and left a cloud of dust behind us as I made our way over to Sam's.

I'll take any repercussions from Edward he wants to dish out later. Right now, all I wanted was to hold a gun in my hands and picture Hunter's face as the target.

All of this could have been avoided if Andrews would have let me submit my work online like the rest of them. But no, that asshole made me come on campus and I got shot at.

I couldn't even protect myself. I was completely defenseless. Three people shooting at that motherfucker was better than two, but no, my frustrating husband wouldn't let me carry one with me.

Obviously, what happened today couldn't have been predicted but I'd feel fucking better knowing I can also defend myself if the opportunity arises.

The car vibrated beneath me and I felt powerful as I raced through the streets of Chicago.

It took us no time at all to get to Sam's and I was pleased to see there was only one car in the parking lot. I parked my sweet ride and the two of us stepped out and made our way inside.

I was expecting to see Sam behind the counter but it was some younger guy who had tattoos go all the way up to his arms. He showed them off by wearing a cut-off denim vest and a white wifebeater underneath.

"Ladies, what can I do for you?" He looked us up and down and I wasn't in the mood for this shit today.

"Is Sam here?" I asked.

"No, I'm covering for him today. Anything I can help you with sweetheart?" He smirked as he kept eyeing us.

"I want to practice a little, do you think you could set me up?" I didn't want to waste any more time than I had to. For all I know, Edward is on his way here to lecture me about leaving his parent's place.

"Oh, I could set you up alright." He tried to sound enticing but it only came across as sleazy. I really didn't want to flirt my way into getting what I want.

"I'd appreciate it if you could help my friend out, she's having girl trouble you see. She caught her girlfriend eating out another girl's pussy on their anniversary." Siobhan piped up, twirling a strand of her hair as she gazed at him. I nearly lost it as I saw his Adam's apple bob when he swallowed before his eyes darted back to me and then to Siobhan again.

He was eating up everything she was saying. She stepped closer to the counter and continued to twirl her hair.

"Do you think you can help her?" Her voice was almost sultry as she looked at up at him through her lashes. Making her look innocent and interested.

"S-s-sure." He stuttered before he looked at me in question.

"The Glock please," I said and was pleased to see him reach out for the one I used the last time I was here.

He handed me the gun and a few boxes of bullets and made me sign more paperwork before leading me down to the shooting range. Before I stepped through the counter, I turned to Siobhan.

"Will you be ok up here?" I asked and she smirked at me before nodding. I nodded back at her and made my way down into the basement.

I was pleased to see it was completely empty as I made my way to the other end of the room and stopped in front of the same booth Edward and I had used on our date. God, that feels like it was years ago instead of months. A lot of shit has happened since that date.

I filled the magazine and brought the target forward slightly so it was under the light. I didn't bother with the protective gear because I wanted to feel the raw thing. Today proved to me how real it all is. Real life didn't hand you protective goggles and earmuffs.

I got into position and took aim. That first pull of the trigger felt thrilling and I watched as it hit the target, the sound of bullet shells hitting the concrete only spurred me on as I continued to fire shot after shot.

"Isabella!" A voice roared and I quickly spun around and pointed the gun at my husband and fired.


	29. Chapter 29

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 29**

He stood his ground as the realization hit me at what I just did. But the firing of the gun sounded different. It took me a while to realize I had used up all the rounds and shot out a blank at Edward.

Both of us were breathing hard as we stood in this standoff. Both of our legs spread shoulder-width apart. I didn't lower my gun as I looked him dead in the eyes.

He looked royally pissed but I wasn't going to back down. He didn't scare me.

"Isabella put the fucking gun down." He demanded.

I lowered the gun but I didn't let go of it. There was obviously no threat towards me but I was still pumped from the 15 rounds I got into the target before he interrupted me.

"Want to explain to me what the fuck you're doing here?" He demanded to know and I was furious once again.

"Letting off some steam, what does it look like? You're probably aware of the fact I was shot at not even an hour ago. Forgive me for wanting to put some practice in." I turned away from him and began to reload the magazine when the gun was suddenly snatched out of my hands and thrown on the counter of the booth, the motion making some of the bullets roll and drop down to the floor.

"Isabella, you can't just leave my parent's house and not tell any-fucking-body where the fuck you're going!" He continued to bark at me and I was getting fed up with it.

He was right up in my face so I pushed him back. I managed to move him but that was only because he didn't expect it and I caught him by surprise.

I was about to push him again but he grabbed my wrists and pushed me against the wall, trapping my hands above my head as he held them in place. His hard body was pressed up against me and I felt every single inch of him. I could also feel his hard cock strained between us.

My breath caught in my throat as his lips attacked mine in a heated kiss. I moaned into the kiss and he pressed himself harder against me. I wanted to rip the clothes off his glorious body and fuck him senseless to make up for all the time he's denied me these past weeks.

His hold on my wrists didn't lessen as he ground his cock into my stomach. I tried to arch away from the wall to bring myself impossibly closer to him but it was futile.

I bit his bottom lip and he hissed as he pulled away from my lips and attacked my neck instead.

"Baby…please. Fuck I need you," I panted as he continued sucking and kissing on my neck.

"What do you want Isabella?" He grunted against my neck.

"Touch…me," I moaned out and felt him move away from me ever so slightly so he could get to the button of my jeans. My zip sounded loud in the otherwise quiet basement but I felt like my body was on fire as he dipped his hand inside my jeans and moved my panties aside before dipping his fingers into my already slick center.

I tried to grind against his hand but he was still pressed up close against me.

"Damn it you're so wet, baby," he panted as his fingers rubbed my clit and his lips attacked mine once again. Our tongues tangled together as we both fought for dominance.

His hand was urgent against me. Edward had me moaning so loud, I was worried it would carry upstairs to where Siobhan was. However, the faster his fingers moved against me, the less I began to care if anyone heard me.

"Why do you keep testing my control?" He panted against me.

My smile was sly as I ran my tongue over my lower lip before biting down on it, my eyes hooded from the pleasure he was giving me.

"I get off on it," I teased and watched as his eyes turned black with desire.

He finally let go of my wrists and palmed my breast whilst he slipped 2 fingers inside me and started pumping. I threw my head back and it thumped against the wall as I moved my hips in time with his hand.

"Fuck, I wish that was your cock filling me." I moaned and grabbed the hand that was on my breast, making him squeeze it harder. The slight pain from it was turning me on the harder he palmed it.

"I can hear how fucking wet you are Isabella. Come on baby, I know you're close. Come on my fucking fingers," he pressed his hips closer to me, completely trapping his hand between us as he ever so slightly began to grind against me.

His breath was hot on my face so I brought it closer to me and captured his lips in mine once again. I could get drunk on his taste alone. His tongue matched the pace of his fingers, dipping in and out of my mouth as his fingers dipped in and out of my pussy. The stimulation from both his fingers and his tongue was too much for me. I screamed as I came on his hand, riding the orgasm out as I grabbed onto his shoulders to steady myself.

As soon as his hand was out of my panties and jeans, I pushed him away and turned him to stand against the wall as I had been moments ago. I dropped down on my knees, my ass still hanging out of my jeans and began to work the fly on his tailored slacks.

I was hungry for him, I wanted to taste his thick cock in my mouth, feel his come hit the back of my throat as I work him over.

I couldn't get his slacks and boxers off of him quick enough before I grasped hold of his cock, giving it a few not so gentle strokes before I finally put it in my mouth. I moaned around him as I took him in as deep as I could. My gag reflexes worked overtime because I couldn't get enough of him.

He's denied me for too long.

He felt hot and heavy on my tongue as I continued to suck. His hands had fisted in my hair as he yanked my beanie off. My left hand was wrapped around his cock and my rings caught my attention. I could also feel his own pressed against my head and I finally felt whole again.

I felt him get harder inside my mouth and it was his tell that he was close to coming.

"Fuck, you look so good on your knees baby. I almost forgot what it feels like to have you sucking my cock." He drawled out as his left hand moved to my face and his thumb stroked my cheek as I hollowed them to suck him harder.

His hips shifted ever so slowly as he tried to fuck my mouth and it turned me on seeing him trying to take back the control he so desperately wanted.

My hand squeezed his thigh, encouraging him to speed up if he wanted to, which he pleasantly did. My moan vibrated around him and he moaned out loud before hot spurts of his come shot to the back of my throat.

I carried on lapping him up as he began to soften inside my mouth. Once I finally released him, he held his hand out for me and helped me up. I stood on shaky legs and he suddenly engulfed me in his strong arms.

"I'm so fucking glad you're ok." He mumbled as he kissed the side of my head. I nestled deeper into him, grateful that I was in one piece.

"I love you," I whispered as his hold tightened.

"I love you too," he voiced and placed his index finger under my chin to lift my face up. His lips descended on me and this time, the kiss was slow, making my skin tingle as his lips set me on fire.

When we pulled apart, we fastened our respective jeans and slacks whilst we smirked at each other.

_I had missed this so much._

I was pleased to see the hardness behind his eyes was somewhat gone and he looked like the Edward I know and love.

"Are you ready to head home?" He asked me.

"Yeah," I whispered back and he grabbed hold of my hand and picked up the Glock with his other.

Once we made our way upstairs, the guy behind the counter looked at me questioningly.

"I thought you were gay!" He exclaimed which made Edward scowl whilst I laughed.

"With the size of his dick? I don't think so." I snickered as Edward turned to look at me in shock before smirking at the guy behind the counter whilst placing the Glock on top of it. I reached out and gently stroked the gun before stepping back and looking at it wistfully. Both men had their eyes on me but I ignored them, all I wanted was to take the gun home with me.

"Where's Siobhan?" I suddenly asked Edward as we walked towards the door.

"I sent her home." He scowled slightly but didn't elaborate. I shrugged it off and walked over to the driver's side of the car. I couldn't hold back my excitement of getting to drive this baby again.

"Hand over the keys Bella," he demanded as he held his hand out.

"What? Why?" I whined.

"Because you don't have a license and the last thing I want is to be pulled over. Now hand over the keys." He stated like his word was final.

"No way! I drove over here and Siobhan and I were fine!" I challenged him.

"Yet another thing I'll need to discuss with her then." He growled.

"Hey, don't. She was amazing today. If it wasn't for her moving me out of the way, the bullet that grazed Demetri would have killed me." His expression immediately sobered up and he gave me a curt nod in acknowledgment.

"You're lucky Dad loves you like you were his own daughter because he doesn't let anyone drive the Audi. Not even me." He smirked as he finally relented and got into the passenger's side and I bounced with glee as I slid in behind the wheel again.

The R8 purred to life and I groaned. I really can't wait to get my driving license back.

Edward didn't look as comfortable as Siobhan did but I was having too much fun to worry about him gripping the seat like his life depended on it.

Once I started weaving through the traffic, he seemed to have calmed down and looked like he was enjoying the ride as much as I was.

"I really wish you'd get something like this instead of that giant SUV. Not that it doesn't hold such dear memories but my god Edward, I think I'm in love." I squealed as I floored the accelerator and the car continued to purr as I hit speeds that were definitely above the limit, making the drivers around us turn and stare.

"Do you realize how hot you look handling this thing?" His voice was dripping with sexual desire and I shifted in the leather seat.

"Carry on talking like that and we'll have to pull over so I can handle you." I panted out.

"I'd happily pay the cleaning bill just to experience that," he retorted back.

I moaned at the thought of it and had to shake my head to clear it. He was driving me crazy with want again. I needed to get us home as soon as possible so I could ride him.

We had stayed relatively quiet for the rest of the ride; my head was all over the place and I didn't even get a chance to ask him what had happened today. I was pretty sure he already knew what happened on campus but I just wondered if he knew where Hunter is now.

"Do we have to take the car back to your parents' house right now?" I asked as we were getting close to the junction that leads to their house.

"No, he knows you've got it. Let's just go home." Those words were like music to my ears. I was too afraid to look at Edward for him to then tell me we were going home only for him to go back to work. I was getting agitated with my thought process when an obnoxious horn sounded to my right and some bitch tried to cut me off whilst giving me the finger.

I flipped her back and floored the gas pedal to get in front of her.

"Fucking bitch," I grumbled loud enough for Edward to start laughing.

"I can now understand why they took your license away," he continued to laugh and I tried my hardest not to smile at the sound.

"I can't fucking wait to get my baby back once I get my license back." I sighed and quickly turned down the alley to the club's back entrance.

"Home sweet home," he retorted as he got out and I followed suit.

I locked the car up and walked around to where Edward stood to wait for me. He draped his arm around my shoulders and brought me in closer. I inhaled his intoxicating scent and felt like all was right again in my crazy world.

"You hungry?" He asked as we got inside and made our way to the elevator. I nodded and leaned up to kiss him. He smiled into the kiss as we made our way up to the penthouse. All the adrenaline from earlier had left my body and all I wanted to do now was either get in bed with a pizza or run myself a hot steamy bubble bath with a pizza.

"Can we have pizza?" I asked and he simply smiled at me and nodded. I got my phone out and quickly ordered us a Meat Feast with a bunch of sides.

Edward stood in the kitchen watching me and I was waiting for him to start lecturing me about my safety, but he just continued to stare at me like I wasn't real.

I hated even the small distance between us so I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist whilst he engulfed me in his again. I looked over at the breakfast bar and realized I never tidied my shit up before I left today, all my books and notes were scattered around the place.

I drew random patterns on his back as we stood there, his heartbeat underneath my ear was lulling me and I had to fight really hard not to fall asleep just standing here.

And then his phone rang.

_Great._

I guess it's a bubble bath for one again.

I made sure he could hear the irritation in my sigh as I detached myself away from him. He at least looked at me apologetically.

"I'm gonna go run a bath. Go deal with whatever you have to deal with. Just bring the pizza in with you before you leave." I had resigned myself into believing our earlier happy bubble has already burst. This penthouse was like a fucking curse.

"Bella don't-"

"Your better pick up that phone, it will only keep ringing," I said as I turned away from him and made my way into our bedroom. I knew my behavior was probably petty but I was so fucking tired of this mess.

All I wanted was Hunter to be 6 feet under and to get Edward back, all of him.

I just wish for one fucking day, no one else needed him to tell them when to wipe their fucking ass.

I began stripping as I got into the bedroom and made my way over to the bathroom. I regulated the water so it was the perfect temperature and let my bath fill whilst I took my make up off. I quickly put my hair up into a messy bun and began wiping my face clean. I stared at the girl in the mirror and hardly recognized her. I had light bags under my eyes where I wasn't sleeping properly without Edward by my side. I could see how today took its toll on me as well as all the stress from getting my work done in time before we leave for Vegas.

It was the one thing I tried to focus on to get me through this.

I poured in the bubbles for my bath and just watched the huge tub fill up with water. I then decided to light up a few candles and the only thing missing was alcohol. Well and Edward, but I'll try not to dwell on that.

I quickly walked out naked from the bathroom and then the bedroom and made my way into the kitchen. I walked past the open office door and noticed he was sat behind the desk with his head in his hands as he continued to speak on the phone.

I walked over to the fridge and took out the bottle of white wine and one glass. As I turned to make my way back to my bath, the intercom buzzed. There was no way I was going to answer it in my birthday suit so I stopped outside his office.

"Can you get that please," my voice was quiet but his head shot up and his eyes racked over me and drank in the sight of my naked body. I watched as he slightly slumped back in his chair and gripped the armrest. It looked like he was in a daze but was brought back into the room when the intercom sounded again.

I didn't wait around for him and continued to make my way back to the bathroom.

The bath had filled just the right amount. I placed my wine and glass on the side of the marble tub and turned the tap off and carefully stepped in. At first, the water felt scolding hot but the lower I sank into it, the better it felt against my taut muscles. Before laying back and getting comfortable, I reached over for the wine and poured myself a generous glass. The cold drink felt good on my tongue and I placed the glass against my forehead momentarily, trying to cool my now heated skin.

I sat back and slid my body lower so that only the top of my shoulders were out of the water, the rest of my body was hidden under the bubbles. The aroma from the candles was soothing, and the taste of wine on my tongue was delicious. I had a sudden urge to down it all but it tasted so good, I wanted to savor every drop.

I placed the glass on the side of the tub next to my head and put my arms inside the water. I closed my eyes and willed my body to relax.

I couldn't unsee the image of Hunter's face behind my eyelids as he fired that gun at me. It really was a close call today.

Too fucking close.

"Is there room for one more?" His velvet voice made my eyes pop open in surprise. He stood in our bathroom in just his slacks, holding the pizza box and a bottle of scotch.

I was distracted by his chest and abs to form coherent words so I simply nodded and watched as he placed the bottle of scotch next to my wine and put the pizza box down beside the sink.

I watched as he unbuttoned his slacks and pulled his zipper down, letting them pool at the bottom of his feet. He then hooked his thumbs under the band of his boxer briefs and pulled them down, revealing his glorious body to me. His cock was semi-hard and I licked my lips as I watched it bob every time he moved.

He snickered as he caught me staring but then grabbed the pizza box and walked over to where my head was.

"Scoot forward, let me get behind you," his voice was gentle and I followed his request. The water sloshed around the tub, almost spilling out but not quite reaching the rim of the bath. He handed me the pizza box and stepped in behind me. The water level rose as he sank down and then placed his legs on either side of mine before placing his hands on my hips and pulling me closer against him. I giggled at the feeling and held onto the pizza box tighter, in fear of dropping it into the water.

"That's better," he sighed as he kissed the back of my head and reached out for the pizza.

He opened it and offered me to take the first slice which I happily did. He took his own slice and placed the box on the floor. His arms were long enough to reach for more if I wanted another slice.

"I thought they needed you down at the warehouse." I finally said. He wrapped his free hand around my waist as I heard him chew behind me before he answered.

"They did but I told them they can deal with it without me. My wife needs me more. The little problem at the warehouse won't be going anywhere anytime soon." He was being cryptic and it made me wonder who he was holding down there.

He didn't elaborate and I didn't ask any more questions as we continued to eat. He offered me another slice which I happily took but then gave him the rest to finish before I reached back for my wine again.

After he was done eating, he wrapped both of his arms around me with one going across my chest which made his hand rest just underneath my breast. I was surrounded by his scent and his body. I still tried to wrap my head around the fact that he was physically here.

"We raided the Romanians today. We've been scouting out their territory since that phone call from Hunter. They either had something over him or he was paying them a shit load of money to keep his scrawny ass safe from me. I don't know what it was but I needed to see the activity going on down there for myself. It's why I haven't been around. I'm sorry you've had to go to bed alone and wake up alone these past weeks. It killed me every time I'd come in and find you wrapped around my pillow. I desperately wanted those arms around me but if I'd caved, I knew I wouldn't be able to focus on anything but you. I would have whisked us away somewhere and let dad deal with Hunter and his shit. But the moment that asshole uttered your name, I knew I wanted to be the one to kill him." His chest vibrated through my back as he spoke.

I refrained from commenting. I just wanted to hear his voice, I wanted to feel him with me.

"He was constantly going back and forth between Victoria's place and Vlad and Stefan's auto shop. They ran an underground human trafficking business. They sold people on the black market for thousands of dollars. My father and I have been trying to intercept their every shipment of live cargo that would come through the docks. No cargo was being brought into our docks without us checking it out first. Everyone knew that. They were trying to come up with a way to blindside us and get their shipments via truckloads but we expected that. We have border control in our pockets and we managed to put an alert out. I may have made the mistake with Ben, but that doesn't mean I didn't have other people working for me. He was simply a test that only I was aware of. Looking back at it now, I probably should have told Emmett and Jasper but I needed it to seem legit in order for my plan to work." Gosh, this is the most I've heard him say since we got married. I was afraid to ask questions. I just wanted to carry on hearing his voice.

"When we raided the auto shop, Hunter slipped through my fingers and unfortunately found you. You calling me and telling me you had to go see your professor put me on edge from the get-go. I knew I couldn't be at two places at once. I wanted more than anything to take you there myself but I needed to get the brothers on my turf and clean up the mass of bodies we left behind." He snickered, leaning forward and grabbing the bottle of scotch, taking a long swing from it.

"I take it your body count has increased then." I finally spoke and his body shook behind me as he laughed.

"You could say that." He retorted back before sinking down further in the tub as he began trailing his fingers over my body, getting closer and closer to my breasts. Even though the water was still hot, my nipples were rock hard from his barely-there touch.

"Vlad unfortunately met his demise the moment he informed me he couldn't wait to get his hands on you and sell you to the highest bidder after they took turns to break you in. All I felt was pure rage as I emptied the mag into him. Emmett had stopped me from doing the same to Stefan so we could question him. We need to find out where Hunter could have possibly run off to. It's who's currently strung up at the warehouse like a pig for slaughter. I wanted him to suffer before I get to have my fun with him." His voice was cold as he continued to tell me what went down this morning.

I don't know whether he realized this or whether he was doing it without thinking, but both of his hands were kneading my breasts and I tried my hardest to stay quiet and not let out the dirty moan that was on the tip of my tongue.

As his thumbs grazed my nipples and it didn't look like he was going to say anything further, I finally relented and moaned. I'd felt him get hard behind me for a while now but as soon as my wanton moan left my lips, he grew increasingly harder. All I had to do was lift myself up higher and I could sink down on his cock. My pussy clenched at the thought of it and I grabbed hold of his strong thighs to keep me from slipping.

"Fuck," I let out as he finally put his focus on what he was doing to me. He gathered both of my breasts and tried to hold them with one hand as his other traveled down my body and rested on top of my slick heat, his fingers inches away from where I wanted them the most.

"Have I mentioned how much I have missed your body? Remember the night the girls came around and you had passed out drunk on the sofa? I carried you to bed that night and undressed you. You weren't coherent enough for me to take advantage of your naked body and I tried my fucking hardest to just leave you there, in our bed. But you called out for me, well you pretty much moaned my name out and I could smell your pussy, Isabella. Whatever you were dreaming, it was making you wet. I wanted to pull the covers off you as soon as I tucked you in and spread those legs for me so I could dive in and taste you. It was the first time I heard you talk in your sleep." His fingers slipped through my folds as he located my clit and began to slowly tease it.

"You must have been hot from the covers because you soon kicked them off. I sat on that chair in the corner of our room and watched as you spread those magnificent legs and you began touching yourself." He increased the pressure of his touch as he dipped his fingers once again inside me. I was slick from the water but I was also slick from him finger fucking me back at the shooting range.

"Edward," I moaned as I threw my head back into his shoulder and he leaned down and licked my neck before humming.

"That's exactly how you said my name that night. I was rock hard for you Isabella. I wanted nothing more than to wake you up and bury my cock inside you. I wanted to relive whatever glorious dream you were having. Do you remember what you dreamt that night Isabella?" He spoke against my skin, moving his lips to my ear as he gently bit down on my earlobe.

I shook my head.

"I don't remember. All I remember is waking up the next morning feeling horny and wet." I panted out as he continued to play with my pussy. I was so ready for his cock to replace his hand.

"I sat on that chair and took my cock out. It had been a while since I had to take care of my desire for you myself, and I only have myself to blame for that. I want to apologize again for neglecting you, Mrs. Cullen," he hissed as I wound my arm behind me and grasped his cock.

I slowly moved my hand up and down his shaft, twisting my wrist slightly every time I got to the top. He was breathing heavily against me and I was ready to get out of this bath and fuck.

I quickly stood up, probably slightly too quickly as my legs felt like jelly. I climbed out of the bath and turned to face him.

"Come," was all I said and I watched him rise from the bath, the water ran down his hard body and some splashed over the edge from his quick movement. He gracefully stepped out of the bath and stood before me. Edward moved and hoisted me up so I would wrap my legs around him. Our bodies were still hot from the bath but he had a firm grip on me as he carried me out of the bathroom and into our bedroom where he proceeded to lay me down in the middle of the bed. He loomed over me and kissed me deeply.

I moaned into his mouth and felt his hand move between us as he positioned himself against my entrance. With one swift move of his hips, he was deep inside me. I felt his huge cock stretch me and marveled at how nothing beats the feeling of the first time it goes in.

My back arched off the bed as he continued to push in and out of me. Edward sat up and picked up his pace. My heels rested on his ass and I felt it constrict with every thrust.

I was a panting, moaning mess and at the complete mercy of his hands and cock. As he continued to drive into me, I was falling closer and closer to the edge. He lifted my hips up ever so slightly and it was all it took for me to come around him.

"Fuck fuck fuck! You're so tight baby," he panted as he continued his movements. I felt my pussy pulsing against him and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath.

"Get on your hands and knees," he commanded and I followed, scrambling quickly to my hands and knees like a good little girl. He didn't waste any time before he slammed back into me, hitting me deeper than before. His grip on my hips tightened as he plowed into me. The sound of his balls slapping against me was driving me insane as they would hit my clit from the way he had me angled.

"Baby that feels so good…I'm so close again…harder Edward, fuck me harder," I gritted out through clenched teeth as I tried to grasp what little control I had left. He had total control of my body right now and he was playing it like a musical instrument.

I came again with an earth-shattering orgasm as I let my chest drop down to the mattress, burying my face into the sheets. Edward continued to fuck me but I could tell he was close because his own movements became erratic.

With a few more pumps, he was coming inside me with a magnificent roar.

He slumped down on top of me before he rolled off and laid down beside me, trying to catch his breath.

"This," I motioned between our naked bodies, "this should have never stopped happening. We need this physical connection to keep going, to keep sane and strong. Don't ever deny me that again." I panted out.

"I swear, never again." He vowed and reached out to bring me closer to him.

I draped my arm across his chest and rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me. I don't remember falling asleep, all I remember is how content I felt to finally sleep in his arms again.

I had meant what I said, I will do everything that I can so his absence doesn't happen again.


	30. Chapter 30

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 30**

I felt feather light kisses trailing down my spine, I continued to lay still, basking in Edward's gentle touches to my body.

"I know you're awake angel," he said and I yelped as he bit down on my ass before laughing softly.

"What time is it?" I moaned as I stretched, pretty sure I looked like a cat stretching out from a deep slumber.

My joints and muscles were pleasantly sore from the middle of the night romp I woke Edward up for. I had to apologise for shooting him somehow-even if it was a blank. I had asked him how he didn't even flinch when I pulled the trigger, he told me he'd been counting my rounds before he approached me. He was surprised I actually pulled the trigger though. He gave me his best puppy dog eyes and I was putty in his hands, well more like his lap but you get the picture.

"It's 6am" he finally responded whilst he continued to palm my ass that was still on display for him.

"You're joking right? We just got back to sleep an hour ago! Why the hell are we up already?" I sounded like a whiny bitch but I didn't care, I loved my sleep and I definitely need more of it.

"We have to catch our flight baby," he mumbled into my skin as he started kissing my shoulders.

That's right, Edward and I were leaving for Vegas earlier than everyone else. He had told me a while back that he had business to take care of and he took Alice's threat seriously when she said he wasn't allowed to conduct any business whilst we're all out there together.

I groaned into the pillow and was tempted to kick my legs like a petulant child. But that thought soon left my mind when I felt the bed dip and Edward's thighs where on either side of mine as he straddled me. His hands were back on my ass and I could feel his erection against me. I patiently waited to see what he would do next, not holding back my small pants of pleasure as he kneads my cheeks.

I could feel him inching closer and closer to my pussy, which was unsurprisingly wet already. This was my body's instant reaction to him, I couldn't help it and I didn't want to either.

His fingers dipped between my cheeks and down to my entrance. He slipped his fingers in slowly and pulled them back out. I instinctively lifted my ass up higher to give him better access, arching my back in the process. After the third time his fingers pulled out of me, I moaned out his name as his hand made contact with my right ass cheek.

Without saying anything further, he slowly sheathed into me from behind, grabbing onto my hips and pulling them towards him, resounding in a loud smack of skin meeting skin. My breath caught in my throat at the feeling and I wanted more.

"Please," I moaned into the pillow.

"Please what Isabella?" Fuck, the way he said my name will never not make me submit to him.

"I want more," I managed to say as he picked up his pace, slamming into me harder and harder with each thrust.

He picked up my right arm and moved it behind me, using it as leverage. That small change in position made a huge impact on the spot his cock was now hitting.

"Fuck," we both cursed at the same time.

I tried lifting my hips higher to be able to meet his thrusts but his grip on me tightened. He was in charge right now and with that revelation, it turned me on more.

His pounding was relentless and I soon began to feel that all-consuming tightness at the pit of my stomach.

"Don't stop don't stop don't stop" I chanted "I'm so close baby…mmm fuck, right there Edward," he shifted once more and pushed his fists into the mattress by the side of my head. We were butt to groin with hardly any space between us as he continued to rock against me.

The head of his cock rubbing against my g-spot made me see spots for a second before my pussy clenched down on him.

"That's it baby, that's my girl," he panted against my ear as he rode out my orgasm. It felt like it was never going to stop as my insides continued to spasm.

There was no rhythm to his thrusts anymore which told me he was close. I tried pushing back as much as his body would allow me and it had seemed to do the trick. I saw his arms shake a little before he stilled and spilled inside me, biting my shoulder as he came.

I lowered my hips back down on the bed as Edward pulled out of me and rolled over to the side. We were both trying to catch our breath and I turned my head to face him.

"You're forgiven," I teased.

"For what?" he asked, smiling as he gazed at me.

"For waking me up at the ass crack of dawn," I laughed and his eyes creased as he smiled at me. He moved to lay on his side and propped himself up by his elbow. His eyes raked down my body before they landed back on my face.

"I'm sorry," he finally spoke.

"For what?" I was the one to ask this time.

"For shutting you out the way that I did. The days following our wedding should have been blissful. I had actually planned to take you away for a couple of days and then fly directly to Vegas from there, but of course, you know what happened there. I just want you to know how sorry I am. Whenever I've had work to do, I never needed to care about anyone else but the job at hand. I didn't have anyone waiting for me back home. I seemed to have gone back to that mentality and I'm sorry about that. I just want this asshole dead." He growled out the last part.

I mirrored his position and had to stop myself from groaning as I felt his come leave my body.

_I guess I'll need to change the sheets before we leave._

"You're more than forgiven baby. I may not know what that mind-set is like, but I can understand it. You promised me it won't happen again and I'll hold you to that. It's behind us, the whole Hunter situation may not be over, but I'm positive he'll crawl out of whatever hole he's hiding in soon. And we'll be ready when he does." I leaned forward and kissed him. His lips were soft against me and made it harder to want to leave our little bubble.

I sighed when we pulled apart. I raked my fingers through my hair and tried to come up with a plan on how to get shit done before we leave.

"Ok I'm gonna jump in the shower and then pack a bag. Let me know if you need me to do anything for you." He pecked my lips once more and jumped out of bed.

Before entering the bathroom, he turned back to look at me "I fucking missed waking up with you like this." He bit his bottom lip before smirking at me and disappearing into the shower.

I shook my head to clear it from the Edward induced haze and got out of bed myself. I quickly cleaned myself up to be more comfortable before I began stripping the bed. I threw it into the washer and walked back into the bedroom. I could hear the shower still running and I was about to jump in with him but his phone started ringing.

I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Siobhan so I picked up.

"Mr Cullen…erm Edward…Sir…Mr Edward…shit, look I'm sorry if I overstepped the line yesterday but it was obvious Bella needed to let off some steam. I would never let any harm come to her you know that so please don't be mad at her…or me. Shit I'm sorry." She rambled on and I was trying really hard not to laugh.

"Breath Siobhan," I laughed "don't sweat it ok? He's not mad trust me." I smiled into the phone even though she can't see me. I heard the shower turn off and moments later, Edward emerged from the bathroom and looked at me questioningly as I continued to listen to her ramble.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"Siobhan," I mouthed back and saw a small smile on the corner of his mouth.

He looked fucking delicious with water dripping down his chest as one towel was wrapped around his waist and he was rubbing his hair dry with another. I licked my lips as I watched him walk closer to me. He had a hungry look in his eyes as he watched me, standing there naked and not paying any attention to what Siobhan was saying.

"…hellooooo, are you even listening to me?" She asked whilst laughing.

"Shit sorry, what did you say?"

"I said is he there? I'd like to speak to him." She full on laughed at me and I told her to hold on as I reached out and handed the phone over to him. I was too scared to come any closer because I knew my resolve would crumble as soon as I touched him.

I had too much to do to get lost in him again.

As I walked past him, he slapped my ass and winked at me before putting the phone to his ear. I couldn't help but smile at his playful mood.

I quickly went through my routine in the shower and as I shut the water off, I could hear Edward's raised voice. It was still too damn early for someone to have already pissed him off.

I wrapped a white towel around my body and stepped back into the bedroom. Edward was pacing at the foot of the bed, his eyebrows were drawn together as he listened to whoever was on the other side of the line.

"I don't give a fuck! Pick him up and get him back to the warehouse…no…no…I fucking said no! Bella and I are leaving in an hour for Vegas, this shit better be sorted and I better have answers by the time I land." He hung up and threw the phone on the bed. He ran his fingers through his hair and tilted his head back as he sighed.

"Everything ok baby?" I asked as I walked over to the dresser and picked up my body lotion.

I put my leg on the edge of the bed and began applying the lotion into my skin. I turned back to look at him and found him staring at me. I laughed at his gawking and continued rubbing the cream up and down my leg.

"Edward?" I tried again and heard him clear his throat. As I looked over, I saw him adjust himself before he moved closer to me as I swapped legs.

"Demetri found Victoria's brother, you know the one who supplied Hunter with drugs. Because Stefan is still not talking, we think the brother might know where Hunter has run off to." He said and leaned over to leave a kiss on top of my shoulder.

I straightened up and wrapped my arms around his neck. I cranked my head back to look up at him as he smiled down at me. I pulled him down so I could kiss him and he moved his hands around to my ass and gave it a generous squeeze. I could feel his erection between us but we had no time for it right now.

We continued to kiss languidly and he continued to grope me.

And then his phone rang again.

I groaned into his mouth and so did he which made me giggle.

"Go, go be a boss for another half hour and then we've got to leave. Where's your bag? Have you packed yet?" I asked. He continued to gaze at me and then shook his head no.

He pulled away from me and walked into the closet and came back out with both my travel bag as well as his. He placed them on the bed and grabbed his phone at the same time.

"I'm gonna be in the office if you need me for anything. Pack whatever you want for me but make sure to pack my grey suit for the wedding, it's the one Alice told me I had to bring. I love you Mrs Cullen," he gave me a quick peck on the lips and walked out of the room growling into his phone at whoever it is that called him.

"I love you too!" I shouted back and heard him laugh before the office door clicked shut.

I walked back over to our dresser and took out underwear and socks for Edward and a sexy lingerie set for myself. It was one he hasn't destroyed yet.

I then walked into the closet and took down the light grey silky dress Alice wants Rose and I to wear as well as Edward's suit. When she came over that night, she dragged me into the closet to go through Edward's suits. She had already gone through Emmett's and wanted to see if Edward had anything similar. Edward had a lucky escape and didn't have to model them for her like she hoped he would. That was the same night we got drunk whilst he was 'away' working.

But for Rose and I, we actually had to go dress shopping because she wanted us to look the same. The dresses had a sweetheart neckline and was floor length with a giant slit on the right that went up pretty much to the top of the thigh. It was slightly raunchy for a bridesmaid dress but then again, we were going to Vegas for the wedding.

We had free reign on hair and makeup and I am still surprised the little pixie didn't turn into bridezilla. She had 2 months to plan it all and has done an amazing job with it.

I wanted to wear sweats to the airport but Edward informed me that we'll be going for lunch to meet his uncle Peter as soon as we land. So instead I decided on a pair of black skinny jeans, a white silk cami and a light brown teddy fleece jacket. It was a lot warmer in Vegas than Chicago right now so I can just leave the jacket at the hotel if I get too hot.

As for the bachelorette night, I picked out a skin tight black midi skirt with a zip that went down my ass crack and stopped a good ¾ away from the hemline, offering a nice slit so I'd be able to move in it. For the top I decided on an intricate bralette that had the cups for my breast but the rest of it could hardly be described as fabric. It was just strips of faux leather material that formed short sleeves and a few criss-cross lines under the bra itself. I ran it through Alice first and she agreed that it was the perfect outfit. Rose cried when she saw me try it on because she said it will be a while before she can fit into anything like that again.

She still wasn't even showing yet…

Edward said he wanted dress pants and a shirt for the night so that was easy enough to pack for him. I picked out a pair of his trousers that made my mouth water when he wore them. It complemented his bulge nicely and I was getting slightly hot just thinking about him in them. As for the shirt, I just picked out a slim fit white one.

He can pick the jet outfit himself.

After all the clothes were packed, I made sure to put our shoes in the bags also and all was left were my toiletries. I made a few back and forth trips from the bathroom to the dresser and back again as I collected all the essentials.

I was just slipping my underwear on when Edward appeared back into the bedroom and stopped short when he saw me.

"Looks like I came in just in time," he teased as he walked over to me and wrapped his strong arms around my waist. I kissed his chest as he rested his chin on the top of my head and just held me there.

"Did you get a few things sorted?" I asked into his chest as he held me close.

"Yeah. It was mostly paperwork for shipments we have coming in whilst we're away and the Romanians have a live shipment coming in tonight and I needed to get the guys ready for it for when it does. It's going to be sent right back after my guys check it out to see if the 'live' shipments are still actually alive." Disgust laced his tone and I shuddered at the thought of all these people being shipped across the country, probably promised a better life only to be sold to the highest bidder.

"God am I glad your family isn't part of that type of mob life," I whispered. I don't think I would have been able to live with myself if I knew he was involved in that.

"I would have walked away if they were." He stated before leaving a kiss at the top of my head.

We stood there for a few minutes, lost in each other's thoughts before we pulled apart and got dressed.

I almost did a double-take as Edward emerged from the walk-in closet dressed in blue ripped jeans, a white t-shirt and a camel coloured overcoat with matching colour suede boots. He made my pulse quicken as he put his watch on, looking like a model from the magazines. Man am I lucky to call him my husband. I was ridiculously attracted to him.

_Fuck. Me. _

I must have uttered it out loud because he turned to look at me and laughed as he took in my outfit.

We were both wearing pretty similar outfits apart from my jeans were black and my jacket was different as well as my footwear.

I still couldn't get over at how hot he is.

"Maybe we'll join the mile-high club," he said as he winked at me.

"Unless it has a private suite, we are joining no club baby," I stated as I spritzed on some perfume.

I double checked I had everything and then declared myself ready. Edward grabbed our bags and we made our way out of the apartment and into the elevator.

The ride down didn't take any time at all and we were both greeted by Seth when the door reopened.

"Have a safe flight you guys," he said cheerily, waving at us before he shut the door behind us. It was definitely nice to see his friendly face more often now that Felix was gone.

I was making my way over to the SUV but Edward quickly grabbed my hand and halted me.

"We're taking my other car today," he smirked at me.

"What other car?" I asked, confused as I didn't notice any other car parked out here.

Instead of answering me, he tugged on my hand and led me the opposite way of the alley, towards the other end of the building where a sleek Aston Martin Vulcan sat, shining in the sunlight. I was sure my jaw dropped for the second time today as I took in the beauty in front of us.

"You're kidding right?! When did you get this?" I questioned.

"Demetri dropped it off last night," his excitement was palpable as he looked at the car, he was positively giddy with excitement and looked like a little kid on Christmas.

"Will you ever let me drive it?" I teased. I wanted to laugh as his smile dropped a little and he looked at me, panicking slightly.

"Oh erm, sure baby…one day." He tried to sound reassuring but failed miserably. I couldn't hold it in much longer and burst out laughing at the expression on his face.

"Don't worry Edward, I was only teasing. It's a beautiful car baby," I leaned up to kiss his cheek as he produced the key out of his pocket and unlocked the beauty.

He opened my door for me, giving me a hand as I slipped inside. The leather seats were super comfortable and I felt extremely low to the ground. I couldn't wait to see what this car could do.

After Edward put our bags away, he jumped in and started the car up. It purred to life and we both groaned at the sound. He revved the engine and I felt my seat vibrate with the power behind it.

"Jesus," was all I was able to mutter.

"I know," was Edward's response before he put it into gear and we flew out of the alleyway towards the airport.

We were flying from Midway International and it didn't take us long to get there. Especially with the way Edward drove. If it wasn't for the way the scenery passed us, I would have never thought we were moving at all. Inside the car was completely silent and I once again marvelled at how it was designed.

"I want a car like this," I whined and angled my body to face him.

"You want matching cars Bella?" he asked and quirked his eyebrow in question.

"Yeah, change our licence plates to say King and Queen and everything," I teased and he laughed, shaking his head at my silliness.

"I'm sure we can come up with something, I owe you a wedding present anyway." He winked at me and I felt giddy with excitement.

I don't even know where my love for fast cars came from, both mum and dad had a driver but as soon as I got my licence, this need for speed and fast cars grew within me and I've been hooked since.

We finally pulled up into an underground parking lot and Edward drove around until we found a spot. Once the car was securely locked, we headed inside the airport to check in. Flying on a private jet obviously had its perks because we didn't need to wait long before we were escorted onto the aircraft.

A guy with a cart pulled up as soon as our paperwork was checked and drove us over to the jet. We were then greeted by an older gentleman who resembled Alfred from the Batman movies.

"Mr and Mrs Cullen, welcome. My name is Johnson, as soon as we get you settled in, we'll be taking off. Can I get you anything at all before take-off?" he looked at me warmly with a gentle smile on his face.

"No thank you Johnson." I replied and smiled back.

"Very well, and for you Mr Cullen?" he turned to Edward who was quickly glancing around the jet before he focused on Johnson again.

"No thank you. I'd like to have a word with the pilot though. Angel go grab a seat ok, I'll be back in a minute," he kissed my cheek before he followed Johnson into the cockpit.

I marvelled at the design of the private jet. I have never flown in one before so I was a little excited to experience it.

I got comfortable in one of the plush chairs and took my phone out. I had a message from Alice and my mother.

Alice wanting to know if we've left yet and my mother wondering if we can get together once Edward and I are back.

There's a fundraiser her and Esme are throwing and she wants my input. It was still a little strange for me to come to terms with how long our parents have known each other. Not forgetting the fact that my father is still ok with Edward and I being married. This new relationship with my mother felt good but we have yet to sit down together and really hash some things out. But I guess we can do that once we're back from Vegas.

Right now, all I want to focus on is going away with my husband and celebrate one of my best friend's wedding.

I was so engrossed in my own thoughts that I didn't even notice Edward sitting opposite me until he reached out and touched my knee.

"Everything alright?" he asked me.

"Everything is perfect."

_Vegas here we come._


	31. Chapter 31

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 31**

The flight had been fun.

We spent the majority of the time talking and planning our future.

We spoke about me working for him. Edward had asked me to wait until the mess with Hunter was dealt with before I start helping him run the club. Hospitality was never a profession I considered going into but there's no harm in learning the business. Edward had simply asked me to let him know if I ever change my mind and want to pursue my journalism career.

I had told him that I wasn't even sure if that was still something I wanted to do. He gave me his undivided attention whilst I spoke about my fears and not knowing what I wanted to do anymore. He reminded me that I actually don't have to do anything at all if I didn't want to. Which then led to him giving me figures of his offshore accounts as well as the amount of money that was currently sitting in his bank account, a bank account I apparently have full access to.

I don't plan to become one of those wives though.

He reassured me and told me we will figure it out.

We spent time talking about our parents and our friends.

We looked back at how much our relationship has changed and grown in the space of 2 months. We laughed at how crazy all of this might seem to a stranger looking in but we also marveled at how right it all felt for us. We are not perfect and we are still figuring each other out and we are doing all of this at our own pace and in our own way. I wouldn't change a thing about the past couple of months. I am married to the most amazing man in my world and I can't imagine not knowing him.

Our little trip down memory lane led to a new experience as we got lost in each other.

It didn't take a lot to persuade me to join the mile-high club after all.

Gentle touches and wondering hands made their way inside my jeans and panties. His slow ministrations had me panting on his lap. I tried to stay as quiet as possible as I got lost in him. But once my hand made contact with his erection, he marched us into the spacious restroom and had my back pressed against the walls in no time as he took me swiftly.

Just the thought of it made my body tingle again.

He stepped out of the restroom first, giving me a moment to clean up and I heard him talk to Johnson as soon as he closed the door, making me blush 50 shades of red at the thought of getting caught.

When I finally stepped out, Johnson asked if I was feeling better and whether he can get me some iced water. I shot a quick glance in Edward's direction and found him trying hard not to laugh. I informed Johnson I was feeling much better and that flying made me queasy sometimes. He seemed to have bought it and went to retrieve some water for me anyway.

I scowled at Edward who no longer hid his amusement and smacked his chest as I sat down across from him and not on his lap as he indicated. He gave me his best puppy dog eyes but tittered when Johnson handed me my water and asked if I need a blanket. I declined and he left us alone once again.

The landing was smooth and we were escorted into a waiting town car that Edward had hired. We quickly stopped off at our hotel to check-in and leave our bags behind before we left again to meet his uncle Peter and his wife Charlotte.

He told me Peter owns a chain of clubs and restaurants on the strip and that we were actually going to one of his clubs for the joined bachelor/bachelorette night. He has given us access to his VIP section as well as an open bar.

The car stopped outside a swanky restaurant with outdoor seating. The sun was blazing hot by now and I was glad I decided to leave my jacket back at the hotel. Before we could reach the main entrance, a boisterous voice called out Edward's name. His face lit up as we both turned to find a tall and handsome man making his way towards us. His hair was slicked back highlighting the grey hairs against the dark brown. He wore a grey suit and a mint colored shirt with a few too many top buttons undone but he had an infectious smile and I couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Uncle Pete!" Exclaimed Edward as they hugged, Peter patting Edward on his back and giving him one hard squeeze for good measure. I laughed as Edward did the same and Peter winced before they pulled apart, both still smiling at each other.

"Boy am I glad to see a familiar face! How have you been Ed? Ho ho ho and who's this beauty on your arm?" He focused on me and grabbed my hand, bringing it to his lips. Before they could touch my hand, Edward slapped him on the back of the head and his uncle just laughed before pulling me into a hug.

He smelled nice.

"Hands off the missus Peter," Edward growled playfully and placed his hand on the small of my back once Peter let me go.

"Missus? And does Mrs. Cullen have a name?" he quirked an eyebrow, it was hard to figure him out behind his sunglasses but he managed to wag them a little, making me laugh again.

"Bella, nice to put a face to the name. Edward's told me a lot about you," I said and wrapped my arm around Edward's back

"None of it is true I swear!" he pleaded.

"Oi doofus get your ass back over here, you know I can't get up without your help!" a lady shouted, causing a few of the people scattered around us to laugh.

When I looked over to where the voice was coming from, I saw a gorgeous woman sitting a few inches away from the table because her protruding stomach was in the way. She held a fan in one hand a fruity looking drink in the other as she glared at Peter.

"Woman I swear to god you're scaring all the patrons away!" replied Peter as he turned to face her, he was smiling like a fool in love though.

"Come on you two, Bella I'd love for you to meet my ball buster of a wife." We followed Peter to where Charlotte was sitting.

He held both of his hands out and almost hoisted her out of her seat. She was supermodel thin, her belly being the only indication that she was pregnant. I guess some women were just lucky to keep their figures whilst pregnant.

"Edward! It's so nice to see you, gosh it's been too long since you guys visited! How are Es and Carl?" she placed one delicate manicured hand on his cheek whilst leaning in to kiss the other. It was hard to say how old she was because it definitely looked like she's had some cosmetic work done. She must have paid a lot of money to look as good as she does. Most people probably couldn't tell but no one looks so smooth and wrinkle-free in real life.

"Charlotte great to see you. How many is it now then? Mum and dad are great, they wanted to come over too but dad got held up on business as usual." I noticed how he didn't go into detail but Peter smirked, knowing exactly what business Edward was referring to.

"This is the 5th one, I think. I don't know anymore, my house is overrun by men and it's getting hard to keep track. Thank god for my nanny, I don't know what I'd do without her." Charlotte gushed and shot daggers at Peter before he could open his mouth.

"This fool over here keeps asking her if she wants to join us in a threesome just to rile me up. The poor woman is in her late 60's for crying out loud!" she slapped his chest but I could see the corners of her mouth twist into a smile as Edward and Peter both laughed.

"Charlotte I'd like you to meet my wife Isabella, Bella, baby this is the one and only woman who carries uncle Pete's balls in her purse…and he lets her," my silly husband snickered and dodged Peter's punch to the arm.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Edward told me how you guys met. I want to know all your secrets." I pretended to whisper and saw Edward smile falter slightly as Peter cracked up beside us.

Charlotte placed her hand on her stomach as she took me in. It felt a bit tense for a second before her pearly whites were on display and she moved in to hug me.

"I knew Ed would find the perfect girl for him. Welcome to the family Bella." We pulled apart and she moved her hands to hold my face and planted a loud kiss on my lips. I stood still, stunned for a moment before a laugh escaped me.

We all took our seats then and they all caught up whilst I sat back and listened. They wanted to know why they weren't invited to the wedding so we told them we had an extremely private ceremony and that the big wedding will be next year and that they are definitely invited. Charlotte was pleased she would have her figure back by then and warned Peter she was going to max out his credit card if he didn't agree to a vasectomy. He nearly choked on his wine and looked at Edward pleadingly who only continued to laugh harder.

The boys broke out into their own conversation so Charlotte and I got to know each other a little more.

"So tell me how you two met? My jaw nearly dropped to the floor when Pete told me Ed's bringing a girl with him." She teased and I laughed thinking about the night we met.

"He came to my sorority house party with Emmett and Jasper. Emmett is dating one of my best friends Rose and I had known him for a while now, I never met Edward or Jasper before that night though. I already had a few drinks before he showed up and by the time he did, I was in the horny stage. He had me hook line and sinker the moment I laid eyes on him and took me back to his place. He gave me the whole spiel about it not being safe, that he was a bad guy blah blah blah, but I was gone the moment he touched me. And the rest, as they say, is history." I smiled the whole time I retold that story, it was a night I'll always remember.

"Wow, so it was like love at first sight," it was more like a statement than a question.

"I guess you could say that. The connection was instant. I couldn't get enough of him and when he dropped me home, I thought was never going to see him again but he told me he couldn't stay away and that he made a mistake in thinking he could just let me go. We have been together ever since." I said and rested my hand on his thigh as he carried on his conversation but covered my hand with his own.

"So who's getting married here?" she wondered.

"That will be Jasper and my other best friend Alice, they met the same night Edward and I did and he proposed on the spot whilst she was on her knees already!" I tried to keep my voice down but that story will go down in the history books as one of the best proposals ever.

Charlotte burst out laughing and started wiggling in her seat.

"Oh my gosh I'm going to wet myself!" she screeched which got the men's attention. Peter stood up and helped Charlotte out of her chair.

"Need help?" he asked her and she shook her head whilst smiling lovingly at him and trying to hold her laughter in.

"I'll go with her, this wine has gone right through me," I say as I get up to follow Charlotte who beams at me.

I turned to face Edward whose hand had wandered down to my ass now that I was standing up.

"I won't be long baby, try to not get in any trouble ok?" I teased and leaned down to kiss his soft lips. He nipped at my bottom lip before I stood straight and followed Charlotte to the restroom.

She wound her arm through mine and we walked inside the restaurant. It was quieter than outside as most people decided to sit out and enjoy the sun. A guy behind the bar was fixated on us as we maneuvered around the place. I noticed Charlotte turn back to look at him before we turned the corner and I heard her scoff as she pushed the door open.

"He would never be able to handle me," she said nonchalantly as she stepped into the free stall and closed the door behind her as I stepped into the one next to her.

"Edward told me how you and Peter met," I said and heard Charlotte laugh.

"I had been a ring girl at his underground club when one day he decided to do due diligence and start getting rid of a few of us. I had a thing for him the day he came into a strip joint I used to dance at. He bought a private dance and even though the douchebag of an owner allowed us to be groped, Pete kept his hands to himself. He hired me on the spot and offered me a shit load of money for prancing around in my underwear in the ring. You think he's good looking now? Back then he was the guy all the girls wanted to bed and then work for. We would always flirt but nothing came off it. And then he calls me into his office, telling me he's going to have to let me go for some bullshit or other. I wasn't having any of it. So I pulled his gun on him and he told me he loved me. And now we're 5 or 6 kids in, happily married and business is booming." I heard her flush and grunt as she tried to stand up.

"Can't wait to get this baby out of me!" she grumbled.

I flushed too and got out of the stall only to find her door still closed. I went over to wash my hands and heard a quiet sob come out from her stall.

"You ok?" I wondered.

"No…I know you don't know me that well yet but can you help me up please?" she asked in a timid voice. I wanted to laugh at the situation but I didn't want to upset her further.

"Of course I don't mind. Can you reach out and open the door?" I asked and then heard it click and swing open slightly.

She sat there looking miserable and sheepish at the same time. I opened the door wider and held my arms out for her to grab onto so I could pull her up. She was wearing what looked like maternity underwear and it was still wrapped around her knees. She huffed in annoyance and proceeded to bend down to lift them up. I swatted her hands away and dragged them up her legs, high enough for her to reach them and pull them all the way up herself.

"God, you're amazing! I hope your girlfriends will do this for you too one day." She gushed and I saw her eye water.

"Don't be silly, it's not a problem at all. I'm glad I could help," I grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

She thanked me again and went over to the basin to wash her hands. She fluffed her hair and checked her makeup before she deemed herself ready to leave the restroom.

Once we were back at the table, Peter helped her sit down and kissed the top of her head whilst resting his hand on her stomach.

"Everything ok?" he asked us.

"Yeah, Bella and I hit 2nd base in the toilets," she teased and winked at him. He threw his head back and laughed whilst Edward nearly choked on his drink.

We went back to our lunch, conversation flowing easily between us. Edward told them we're staying at the Bellagio and Peter tried to convince him that we can stay at his hotel instead. Edward informed him that letting us have a free bar all night was enough.

"You never guess who I saw last night at one of my clubs!" Peter gushed.

"Remember your dad's friend George, Hinter or Hunter, or something like that. Well, his kid James was here last night, walked into the club with girls in both arms. Bought out a table and people kept milling in and out of it. Had my security guys working overtime just to keep an eye on him. Are you two running in the same circles still?" Peter asked.

I instantly sat up straighter and reached out for Edward's arm.

"Are you sure it was him?" Edward asked.

"Hell yeah I'm sure, he used to come through here every now and again flashing his name about like it's supposed to mean something." Peter continued to talk about Hunter whilst I tried to wrap my brain around the fact that he's here.

I guess now we know where he ran off to. The fact that he was surrounded by women means he doesn't give a fuck about Victoria and his unborn child back home. Once again proving what a lowlife he is.

Edward gave my hand a squeeze before he excused himself and stepped away from our table, his phone glued to his ear.

"Did I say something?" Peter asked, I wasn't sure how much he knew about the family business so I simply smiled at him and reassured him it was nothing, and that Hunter has been giving them trouble back home and we wondered where he went. Peter seemed to have accepted that answer and didn't press for more. I'll definitely have to speak to Edward about this and find out just how much Peter knows.

When Edward returned back to our table he didn't sit back down, instead, he placed his hand on my back and told Peter and Charlotte that we had to go as he had some business to take care of before our friends arrive later today. He was about to put money down for the food but Peter waved it off, saying that it was his restaurant and his treat.

We exchanged pleasantries and told them we'll get together again before we leave. Charlotte and I exchanged numbers, promising to stay in touch once we go back home.

Edward's phone was blowing up as we sat in the back of the town car but he didn't answer it. I wanted to ask him a million questions but the way he was looking at the back of the driver's head, I knew now wasn't the time.

"Where are we going?" I finally asked.

"Back to the hotel." Was his quick response. We sat in silence for the rest of the journey and luckily it didn't take us long to get back.

Once we were inside the suite, Edward walked straight over to the minibar and poured himself a scotch, downing it in one huge gulp before he slammed it on the marble top. He started pacing and raking his fingers through his hair.

"Talk to me," I finally said.

"I spoke to Jasper who confirmed it. Victoria's brother gave him up pretty easily and Stefan eventually gave it up too in the end. They said this was a stopover for Hunter and that he's planning to move over to Canada, claims he has a few links there." His voice was clipped as he continued to pace.

"What do we do now then?"

"We wait to see where that sonofabitch will pop up tonight and then he's dead. As soon as we get wind of his whereabouts, we'll move in." I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience as I listened to my husband plan to kill someone like it was the norm.

Well, I guess it is for him.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around me and telling me everything will be alright and that nothing will happen to me. I don't know whether he was reassuring me or himself.


	32. Chapter 32

**AN – Hi guys! I hope you're all doing well during this pandemic! I can't thank you all enough for your amazing support and reviews! A Lithuanian girl living in London attempting a Chicago setting probably wasn't the smartest idea but…this is fiction and I'm simply sharing my own little creation. **

**Anyhooooo SM owns it and all that jazz **

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 32**

It was 8 PM by the time we all left the hotel and made our way to the restaurant. The mood was light and we were a loud bunch of excited and carefree people.

When Edward and I got back to the hotel after meeting Peter and Charlotte, we lost ourselves in each other for a while until their jet landed. I wanted to do anything and everything in my power to get Edward's mind off Hunter.

Just like on the jet, a few innocent touches soon turned heated and I couldn't strip him quick enough. We didn't even make it to the bed by the time he had me screaming out his name; sweat dripping from both of our bodies as we tried to catch our breath.

I had suggested a shower and that led to round 2.

I was on my knees as I wrapped my lips around his cock and I had felt more powerful than ever considering the position I was in. I controlled everything, both his pleasure and my own. By the time I was swallowing everything he had given me, I stood back up on shaky legs from my own arousal. Edward didn't waste any time as he plunged his fingers into me and hit the spot just right, making my already shaky legs buckle beneath me. Just thinking about the way his muscles rippled under my fingers as he held me up in his strong arms sent tingles down my spine.

I had to change in the bathroom by the time we managed to behave ourselves and actually start getting ready. As soon as Edward saw what I planned to wear tonight, he stalked towards me, his eyes predatory as he looked at me like I was his next meal. I nearly succumbed to him but a string of messages pinging from both of our phones broke the spell and I ran into the bathroom and hid from him. His laugh was menacing and held too many promises for later.

They were on the floor below ours and when Edward and I stepped out of the elevator, I received wolf whistles from both Emmett and Jasper as they fist-bumped Edward. Both Alice and Rose couldn't take their hands off me as they complimented my skirt and that piece of fabric that I refused to call a top.

I saw pride swell within Edward as he listened to our friends compliment us, telling us how well married life suited us.

That conversation obviously led to Alice and Jasper's ceremony happening tomorrow. They were beaming with excitement and I couldn't wait to see my best friend marry someone who loves her the way Jasper does. They have been together the same amount of time as Edward and I and their bond would be obvious to a blind person.

Luckily the restaurant Alice booked was walking distance from the hotel as well as the bar, we were in a prime Vegas location. Alice was practically vibrating with excitement next to me as she wound her arm through mine as we tried to reassure Rosalie she looked smoking hot in her skin tight little red dress. Emmett is now only referring to Rose as Baby Mama and it was driving her crazy, at least it's what she wants us to believe but Alice and I have known her too long so we can see through her bullshit.

Alice wore a strapless skin-tight latex jumpsuit and her high heels made her almost as tall as me and did amazing things to her ass. An ass that had Jasper's eyes glued to it.

Once we reached the restaurant, we were led to a round table that fit six people. Rose sat between Alice and me as we continued to catch up and talk about tomorrow.

They luckily booked the venue for 2 PM, which will give us plenty of time to sleep off whatever messes we'll get ourselves into tonight.

I was in the middle of discussing their honeymoon that they were leaving for straight after when I felt Edward's hand on my thigh. At first, it lay there innocently but then his fingers slowly started twitching. They kept pressing into my skin like he was playing the piano. I suppressed the sigh that tried to escape me and focused on the conversation I was half paying attention to.

He was making it hard to focus on anything at all when his hand started climbing up my thigh. My skirt was so tight it was impossible for me to squeeze my thighs any further for any sort of friction. He was setting my body on fire just from stroking my thigh. I was tempted to place my hand on top of his and stop him but I didn't have that sort of self-control.

It was going to be one hell of a long night.

"Bella, did you hear what I said?" I jump slightly at the sound of my name and shake my head to clear it.

"I'm sorry what?" both Alice and Rose are looking at me like I've lost my mind, luckily the table cloth hid the fact my husband's hand was hovering over my pussy.

"I said can you get to our room for 12 so we can start getting ready together. The car is picking us up at 1.30 sharp." Alice raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow at me and spoke slowly.

I tried to slow down my chest from rising too much so I wouldn't give away the fact Edward has me worked up. I shifted ever so slightly and Edward's fingers pressed into me, parting my lower lips ever so slightly and applying the smallest amount of pressure on my clit. A small whimper escaped my lips but it was luckily masked by the loud voices around us.

"Yeah, Ali that's…erm…fine. Sorry, give me a second." I quickly turned towards Edward and placed my hand on his shoulder and pulled him closer to me so I could whisper in his ear.

"Do you want me to come under this table, in front of our friends?" I could hear my own voice crack as he carried on applying that little bit of pressure on my clit. My teeth grazed his earlobe which was luckily hidden by my hair and it just looked like I was whispering something in his ear. The hand I originally had on his shoulder moved to his lap now and I didn't waste any time reaching for his cock, which was already rock hard.

He moved away from my lips and leaned in closer to whisper in my ear.

"Only I get to see the way your face looks when you come." He growled into my ear and my skin pebbled at the sound.

"Then don't tease baby." And just like that, his hand was gone from my pussy and my hand was gone from his cock, but not before I got in a good squeeze of my own.

I kissed his cheek before I turned back to focus on the girls again, trying to reign in the urge to take him to the back of the restaurant and take care of both of our needs.

"You ok? You look a little flustered," Rose commented as she looked at me.

"Yeah, I'm fine I was just asking him about something Peter told us earlier." I didn't want to elaborate anymore because I didn't want to ruin this night by talking about Hunter, I wouldn't do that to Alice. Even though sitting so close to the guys, I could hear them talk shop briefly before our food arrived and I also noticed Alice shooting them daggers because she had asked everyone to leave business stuff alone for tonight and just focus on having a great time.

The food was amazing and the drinks kept coming. I was pretty sure we were the loudest group at the restaurant but more than once I caught people glancing our way and smiling instead of scowling at us.

We were just ordering more side dishes when a large group of men were seated right behind where we girls sat. The hardened expressions on our guys' faces spoke volumes. I prayed to whoever is up there that there will be no fighting tonight. Both Edward and Jasper- according to Alice- are very possessive, and if looks could kill, I was positive that most of these guys would be dead by now.

I purposefully laid my left hand on Edward's back to flash my wedding ring and hopefully calm him as he kept glaring at the table behind me.

"Baby," I said softly.

He turned to face me, the glare still present as the conversation on the other table turned to Rose, Alice, and myself.

"Not tonight ok." I leaned closer and left my lips on the corner of his mouth whilst he nodded curtly and glanced over to Alice.

We tried to go back to having a good time and it seemed to have worked for a while until someone tapped my shoulder. First mistake.

I turned to look and it was a guy from the other table.

He was good looking with dark hair and a beard, blue eyes, and an easy smile. But I felt anything but easy because Edward tensed beside me.

"I'm sorry but do I know you?" the guy asked.

"No, you would remember me if you did," I answered and I was about to turn back but he placed his hand on my arm and that was his second mistake.

"Touch her again and you lose the hand. She doesn't fucking know you, she doesn't want to know you. I suggest you turn back around." Edward seethed.

"Oh fuck," I heard Alice whisper and I wanted to apologize to her but she was glaring at the guy too.

"No need to get so possessive, we're only talking. You should get a tighter leash on your man." He grumbled out and I actually laughed but that was his third mistake. Edward quickly rose from our table and stood behind me, officially blocking the guy's view of me.

"Do we have a problem here?" The manager suddenly appeared beside our table and glanced between Edward and the guy who was now getting into my husband's face.

"No, no problem Gareth. We are actually leaving now." Edward said as Jasper and Emmett both rose from the table and we girls followed. Edward stepped back to allow me to move my chair back and as soon as I was standing, the guy from before moved in closer to me.

"Give me a call once you're done with him." and that was mistake number 4. Before I could even form a reply, I saw a fist fly past my head and the guy landed on his table. I saw Edward try to move in again but I stepped between them and placed my hand on Edward's chest.

"Edward," I felt his heartbeat under my hand and I shook my head as he finally turned to look at me.

"Not worth it baby. He wouldn't be able to handle me," I winked at him and saw the corner of his mouth twitch as I achieved the desired result.

"Come on, let's go dance." I grabbed his hand and paid no more attention to the commotion happening behind us as the guys on that table were crowding the manager demanding he calls the police. He will be doing no such thing considering the amount of money that was put on this table in the first place.

Unlike Hunter, the name Cullen actually meant something here in Vegas too.

"I can't take you two anywhere I swear to god! Edward you fucking owe me!" Alice grumbled as Jasper wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned down to whisper something in her ear.

"I'm not going to apologize for that Alice, I'm not gonna let some prick lay his hands on my wife. I'll tell you what, name anything you want as a wedding present and it's yours." He reasoned with her and I could see the wheels turning in my friend's head as she thought it over.

"OK, give me some time to think about it and I'll let you know. But just so you know Edward, I have very expensive taste," she teased and I watched as he smirked at her.

"Just name it shorty," he laughed back in response.

"Guys can we hurry this up, I really need to pee," Rosalie suddenly said and we all burst out laughing as she tried to cross her legs whilst walking.

"We're nearly there babe, just hold it for a couple of minutes," Emmett told her and tucked her into his side.

He was right, it didn't take us long to get to the club and it took us an even shorter time to get in as we were on the guest list.

I watched Edward quickly scan the guest list and I instantly knew what he was looking for. This is the same club Peter mentioned Hunter attended the other night. I relaxed ever so slightly as his demeanor didn't change and he placed his hand at the small of my back and led me forward.

Rose quickly grabbed both Alice and me and walked us over to the restroom. I turned back to see the guys had followed us but at a leisurely pace as they were deep in conversation.

The restroom was buzzing with women but there were luckily plenty of empty stalls that Rose didn't hesitate to run to and slam the door shut behind her.

This was the only place where women supported women. It is the only place where you made friends for the night as we complimented each other, told them he wasn't worth it, reassured them that their outfit is sexy but not too slutty, complimented their make-up and hair and discussed the male species. We will probably never see each other again after the night unless we bump into each other on the dance floor but it was amazing to watch the way we come together.

"Oh my god! Your ass looks amazing in this skirt! And look at your tits!" someone screamed into my face as she stepped back and continued to admire me further, I twirled for her in amusement and she started bouncing on the spot and clapping.

"Thanks, gorgeous," I responded and turned back to face the mirror and apply more lipstick. She moved next to me and continued glancing over to me as she fluffed up her long blond hair.

"God if I was gay I'd totally do you in the toilets right now" she actually blushed which was cute but I burst out laughing.

When I took a closer look at her, I noticed her eyes were glassed over and she kept rubbing her nose.

And I instantly felt sorry for her.

I smiled at her and she averted her eyes from me and turned to one of her girlfriends and posed for a picture.

"I literally thought I was going to wet myself for a minute, man am I glad there are so many stalls here! I would have had to cut a bitch to get in there!" Rosalie sauntered over to me in her sexy dress and pushed her tits up and let them spill over her dress slightly.

"They're going to get bigger and bigger aren't they?" I teased her and she just winked at me.

"Em's already drooling over them and wondered whether he can suck milk out of them yet, he's on a mission to try it but I keep swatting him away. It's gross you know?" she pulled a face and I laughed, because yes, that is extremely disgusting for a guy to want to do.

"I don't know if Jaz and I want kids yet." Alice suddenly appeared on my other side as she pulled the top of her jumpsuit away from her chest, blew down, and then fanned herself.

"Yeah Edward and I are the same, we just want to enjoy each other for a bit longer." I quickly glanced over to Rose who was smiling at both of us, reassuring us that she was ok to be starting a family now.

"Emmett already asked me how soon will we be able to try for another baby as soon as this one is born." She beamed at us and her hand dropped to her still flat stomach.

"I never thought he would ever be ok with it all after the way he reacted when I told him. Now he wants at least 4 to start with! I told him if he wants that many kids, I'm going to need a ring on my finger. The idiot just winked at me and told me to leave it up to him." She shrugged like it was no biggie.

"You two should meet Peter and Charlotte, she's pregnant with their fifth child! Let's see what Em thinks once Peter tells him all about it!" I laughed and thought Rose and Charlotte would probably get on like a house on fire.

"We're actually seeing them tomorrow after this one becomes Mrs. Whitlock and gets whisked away on her honeymoon. What is Charlotte like?" Rose asked as she moved a strand of my hair away from my face.

"I think you'll love her, it's entertaining watching her and Peter interact. You'll definitely understand why she keeps getting pregnant because Peter is hot," I exclaimed and they both laughed.

"How are Edward and Peter related?" Alice asked.

"He's Esme's brother," Rose answered for me and all I did was nod because I asked Edward the same question on our flight here.

We deemed ourselves ready and walked out of the restroom to find our men leaning against the wall, still deep in conversation and turning heads as women almost stumbled walking past them.

"Damn I want him," I said out loud instead of thinking it in my head as I intended. Alice snickered beside me and Rose full on laughed out loud, getting the guys' attention.

"Did you fall in shorty?" Edward teased Alice as she stuck her tongue out at him and flipped him off.

"No! Go tend to your wife before she jumps you," her tinkling laughter rang out as she grabbed Jasper's hand and dragged him over to the stairwell that led to the VIP area. Emmett bent Rosalie back and kissed her and then followed Alice and Jasper up the stairs, leaving Edward and me in the foyer of the club.

I was still looking at our friends retreating backs when I felt Edward's arms wrap around me.

"What's this about you wanting to jump me?" He whispered into my ear, his voice causing my skin to pebble. I turned in his arms so I was facing him.

My eyes raked over what I could see from my position and god did I want to jump him. His eyes were smoldering, his shoulders were wide and the crisp white shirt clung to his skin, accentuating all his muscles and he smelled fucking amazing. I had actual saliva pooling in my mouth as I continued to look at him.

"All I can think about is your cock filling me," I panted out and felt a growl reverberate through his chest. He pulled me in closer and I could feel said cock poking into my stomach.

"Is that a gun or are you just happy to see me?" I teased and moaned as he boldly palmed my ass, bringing me closer to his cock.

"No gun sweetheart and I'm extremely fucking happy to see you, feel you," he said and moved both of his hands up my body, and up to my neck. He leaned down and finally captured my lips in his.

"Let's go before they send in a search party for us. Let's just enjoy tonight and not worry about Hunter. We will get him, baby, I promise." I gave him one more peck on the lips and took his hand to lead him up the same stairs our friends took.

As soon as we got to the top of the stairs, I could feel the beat of the music vibrate through me. And as soon as the doors were opened for us, the music hit us full blast.

It was easy to locate our table because Rose and Alice were dancing on top of the leather seats as Emmett and Jasper were throwing back shots and leaning in for manly hugs after every shot. It was obvious they were all wasted, well apart from Rosalie. She had something fruity in her hands as she threw them up in the air and moved her hips in time with the music. It looked like Alice was towering over her and as we got closer, I noticed Rose had taken her heels off.

I laughed and Edward turned to give me a questioning look but I just shook my head and stepped through the roped-off area as a huge dude in a black suit lifted the red rope. I noticed Edward greeted him with a fist bump and was laughing at something the huge guy said but I didn't get a chance to question him when the girls bellowed my name out at the top of their lungs.

Alice slapped my ass and handed me a cocktail, the color, and floating passion fruit told me it was a pornstar martini which I was more than happy to down. I wanted to be as buzzed as they seemed to be so I wasted no time in finishing my drink and grabbing the next one. I stretched my hand out for Rose to grab and help me up on the leather seats which she did whilst trying to steady herself, but my skirt hardly gave me the required room to maneuver like that which made Rose and I laugh even more. Before I could ask, I felt those strong arms around me again as I was being hoisted up by Edward.

I quickly turned around to face him and leaned down to kiss him, grabbing a fistful of his hair to bring him closer to me.

"My hero," I said against his lips and he bit my bottom one before stepping back and knocking back a shot he was suddenly given. My attention was soon drawn away from my husband as the girls grabbed both of my arms and brought me closer to them so we could cheer and dance.

Drinks continued to flow and trips to the restroom were getting hazier as I couldn't remember how we got there or how we ended up back in the VIP area. I was pretty sure I saw Alice making out with a girl and Rose didn't even bother closing the stall door anymore. She was probably the only sober person at the club apart from security and the other staff.

We held on to each other for dear life when we made our way up the stairs for what seemed like the hundredth time. Rose was luckily guiding Alice and me and we were all barefoot by now, a sin in the clubbing scene but we were past caring at this point.

Once Steve - the big guy – let us in again I walked over to Edward who was sat on the leather sofa with his arms resting on the back of it, looking all lustful and shit as his eyes raked me over. I was about to sit on his lap when the DJ played Usher- Hey Daddy through the speakers. I squealed with excitement and instead of just sitting on his lap, I decided on a lap dance.

I pulled my skirt up higher and stepped between his legs, I quickly glanced at the others and saw they were all paired off and focusing on each other. I gave Edward all of my attention once I realized no one was paying us any attention.

He was smirking at me but stayed in the same position as I began rolling my hips and I turned my back to him. I slowly ran my hands over my body, making sure to grab my breast and turn slightly so he could see.

When the line goes '_You just float bottom up in the air_', I bent at the waist and stuck my ass into his face, giving it a shake before I righted myself. I then moved closer to the sofa and when the back of my knees hit the edge of it, I wound my body down onto his lap and rolled my hips again, making sure to add more pressure on his cock which was already hard for me.

I was pretty sure I moaned out loud when I felt it.

With his legs on either side of mine, I arched my back off him and rested my head on his shoulder as I continued to grind my ass into him. I ran my hands along his arms and when I grasped his hands in mine, I moved them to cup my breast and put my lips against his ear so he can hear me moan.

His hands continued to roam my body as I left a trail of kisses on his neck, sucking on it every now and then just to feel his hips buck up.

The song was coming to an end so I got off his lap and turned to face him to find him standing behind me. His lips instantly crashed to mine and our tongues danced together. I was ready to go and have him worship my body back at the hotel.

"Let's g-go-" I managed to stammer out.

"TOAST! Everyone grab your drinks, lets toast to the happy couple!" Emmett's boisterous voice could be heard loud and clear over the pumping music.

Both Edward and I groaned but grabbed our drinks off the table and turned to face our friends. We all stood in a semi-circle as Emmett started his speech.

"I've known Jaz Man for as long as I've known my boy Edward and there was a reason I didn't want you two dipshits meeting my Baby Mama's besties. Jaz you were still humping anything with a pulse and I knew you needed to get that shit out of your system before you could start settling down and Ed, I was waiting for you to finally decide what you wanted to do with your life before you allow yourself to share it with someone. I know you two started off a little bumpy but look where you guys are now! Ed you married the perfect girl and Jaz, in a few hours, you will be marrying the yin to your yang man! Can't you see how perfect this is?! I'm starting a fucking family, you guys are married, you guys are about to get married, we're making a shit load of money and life couldn't be better! You lot are my family and I can't wait for our kids to grow up together! Let's all raise our toast to the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock. You can name your firstborn after me," he threw his head back and laughed as we all cheered.

"Here here!"

"I don't know about you guys but I need to get Baby Mama back to the hotel, I think the baby has had enough party time. We'll see you fuckers in a few hours. Peace out." He grabbed Rose and threw her over his shoulder, snatching her heels off the sofa on the way out.

We stared after them for a beat longer before we cracked up laughing and drank some more.

"I think we should all probably go now. I don't think I can drink anymore and after watching the way you danced Bella, I need to get Jasper naked pronto!" I was giddy with excitement at the thought of getting Edward naked and inside me.

"Let's go!" I shouted back and grabbed my heels, I sat down and proceeded to fasten them up but Edward kneeled down before me and took over. He probably wasn't as drunk as me and could probably do it faster too.

Once the heels were securely back on my feet, I stood up, with Edward's help of course, and we followed Jasper and Alice out of the VIP area. Edward told Steve he will be in touch and I wondered what he was up to. I shouldn't be surprised he knew Steve, I was convinced he had done a background check on all the staff members here tonight because he kept addressing them by name.

I was about to ask him but I felt him tense and growl again, but not in a good way.

I had been walking behind him so I didn't see the same group of guys from the restaurant were all in the foyer and it looked like they were leaving too.

"Well look who it is, did you have a nice time darling?" the same idiot as before had sauntered over to us. I grabbed the back of Edward's shirt to keep him beside me.

"I had a great time thanks," I giggled and titled my head to the side. I prayed to god Edward won't freak out and play along.

I stepped forward and noticed the guy watching me. He cocked his head a little, asking me to come closer which I did.

"Isabella!" Edward roared but I turned to face him and winked.

I focused back on the guy and stepped up close to him.

I pretended to inhale his scent and sighed and had him in the palm of my hand instantly.

"See rich boy, they always settle for the nice guy!" he said loud enough for everyone to hear and his buddies snickered. I laughed and grabbed his crotch, squeezing hard.

"You're just a little boy who wouldn't be able to handle me. See my man over there, he owns every

single inch of my body and it has nothing to do with money and everything to do with his huge

cock…something you're clearly lacking." He was starting to fold into himself as I grabbed it tighter

before pushing him away from me.

I turned around and walked back over to Edward who stood there with his hands in his pockets,

smirking at me.

"Come on baby lets go back to the hotel room and fuck," I said loud enough for the guy and his friends to hear who were now laughing at him and not with him.

"You're too sexy for your own good Mrs. Cullen," Edward whispered in my ear as he led me out of the club and our town car pulled up.

I quickly looked around for Alice and Jasper but they were nowhere to be seen. I guess they found their own way back to the hotel.

I was just so fucking glad the car picked us up because I don't know if we would have made it back in time before I attack him.

I felt intoxicated by his presence and I wanted to show him just how much I want him.

I had already started unbuttoning his shirt so I could slip my hand in and feel his chest. My lips were

wrapped around his earlobe as I sucked and nibbled on it, eliciting a moan from him which I was sure

our driver could hear.

"We're here Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," the driver spoke up who for the life of me, I couldn't remember his name.

"Thanks, Gerald," Edward spoke up, Gerald! Yes, Gerald, I knew it!

I giggled as I climbed out of the car with Edward's help.

I was uncomfortably wet by this point and I could see we were both eager to get to our room. As soon as we stepped into the elevator, Edward had me pressed against the mirrored wall just like he'd done back home. I moaned into his mouth and jolted a little when the elevator stopped. I momentarily forgot where we were and wondered if we were already on our floor but the doors opened and a group of older women stepped in and I tried to detangle myself from Edward.

"Ladies," he said and tilted his head slightly whilst I tried to right my skirt which had ridden up.

A couple of them turned their noses up at us whilst the others smirked, knowing exactly what we were doing before that door opened. I winked back for good measure and laughed into Edward's back.

The ride to our floor was uncomfortable but luckily it didn't take long and as soon as we stepped out, we quickly walked to our door and I groped Edward's ass as he tried to slip the key card into the lock.

We were both stripping by the time the door slammed shut behind us as Edward followed me into the bedroom.

There was a small glow of light coming from the bedside tables but it managed to illuminate the whole room. I was panting standing at the foot of the bed and Edward stopped what he was doing and looked at me, standing before me in nothing but his slacks.

I squared my shoulders and beckoned him to come closer which he did.

"Get on your knees."


	33. Chapter 33

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 33**

He arched his right eyebrow as he tried to figure out if I was serious. I was deadly serious, I wanted his mouth on me, and I wanted to come apart on his tongue.

"Get. On. Your. Knees" I demanded this time and noticed how his eyes turned darker at my command.

He took one more step towards me and slowly sank to his knees, his arms resting by his sides, waiting for my next request.

"Do you know how many times I've thought about having your tongue on me? Do you know how often I found myself looking at your mouth, knowing the pleasure it can bring me? I can feel the blood pumping through my body at the thought of your tongue on my clit, a clit that is currently pulsing, ready for you." I panted throughout my whole speech. I felt powerful and alive as I stared into his smoldering eyes.

"Tell me," he whispered.

"Taste me," I almost whimpered when he suddenly grabbed my left leg and put it over his shoulder, supporting me with his other hand so I don't fall. He leaned in and inhaled deeply before I felt his tongue on my skin.

It felt like every nerve in my body became alive as his tongue lapped at my clit. With every swipe of his tongue, his chin rubbed against my soaked pussy, massaging my entrance.

I wrapped my hands in his hair and looked down at what he was doing to me. I licked my lips at the thought of tasting myself on him.

"Fuck" I moaned as his tongue sped up its ministrations, I could already feel my stomach tightening at my impending orgasm.

"I should get you on your knees more often, you won't believe how amazing it looks watching your tongue work me over," I don't know how I was able to form a sentence at this point.

He hummed against me and the vibration was doing amazing things to my clit. I let out a loud moan when he plunged two of his fingers inside me, they moved in time with his tongue and I felt my right leg shake as I tried to stay upright.

Edward squeezed my ass with his free hand to help keep me upright and I pulled on his hair in return, making him growl into me and my stomach tighten.

"Yes yes yes yes yes…oh fuck," I wasn't going to last much longer and he knew it.

A few more swipes of his tongue and a few more pumps from his fingers and I was coming undone.

With my head thrown back, I let go of everything and succumbed to him. He might have been the one on his knees but he held all the power as he worked my body into submission, just like I did back in the shower before we went out tonight.

When he pulled back, I whimpered at the loss but I didn't have any time to say anything before he was up on his feet and lifting me off the floor before laying me back on the bed and looming over me.

He pinned my arms above my head and plunged his tongue into my mouth. His chin was still wet from my release and I could taste myself on him, making my hips buck up into him. We both moaned as I sucked on his tongue.

"The finest scotch doesn't come close to how good you taste," he spoke against my lips as he started kissing down my neck and finally my breast. He paid close attention to both of my tits as he undid his slacks with one hand whilst still holding both of mine hostage in the other. Once I heard his zipper slide down, I moved my legs from around him and pushed his trousers down his legs.

I smirked at the realization that he had gone commando tonight and it made me wish we'd snuck away somewhere private back at the club.

"I can't believe it was only your slacks that kept me away this whole time," he huffed out a laugh against my nipple before biting down on it and sucking it into his mouth. My back arched off the bed as I tried to bring myself closer to him.

With one last bite on both nipples, Edward moved back up to capture my lips and with the slight shift, the tip of his cock pushed up against my entrance.

"Now…baby please, I need you inside me," I moaned out when he let me up for air.

He stared into my eyes as he pushed his hips forward, making my toes curl as always with the feeling of him going in for the first time. I was sure my eyes rolled to the back of my head as his whole body consumed me. Every last thought had left my brain and all I focused on was the way he felt inside me, the way his cock stretched me as he pumped in and out of me. His thrusts were sharp and precise. The sound of skin slapping against skin was one of my favorite sounds and that, paired with our quick pants of breath, were the only sounds that could be heard in the room.

Edward moved both of my legs around his shoulder and continued to drive into me, hitting me deeper, causing my stomach to tighten and my legs to shake.

"I can't get enough of you," he exclaimed as he sped up, his eyes focused on my bouncing tits from his thrusts.

"I don't ever want you to," I managed to pant out whilst fisting the sheets.

He slammed into me a couple of more times before he pulled out. I was about to curse him out but he grabbed onto my hips and flipped me over onto my stomach. He lifted my ass up into the air whilst straddling my thighs and plunged his cock back into me.

"Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck," I moaned at the new position and how much deeper he was able to go.

There was nothing gentle about what we were doing. We were in a frenzy that neither one of us wanted to come out from. Not until we could be sated.

"Did I ever tell you how amazing your ass is? And tonight…in that skirt…fuck me," he panted as his thrusts never wavered. I yelped in surprise when he smacked my ass, first one cheek and then the other. The mixture of pain and pleasure was definitely something I enjoyed and so I begged him for more.

He didn't disappoint.

Smack. Thrust. Smack. Thrust.

On and on it carried on until I was positive my ass was red hot.

But just when I was expecting another slap, he moved both of his hands to my waist and pressed my stomach into the mattress, resulting in me arching my back further.

His next thrust sent me over the edge as I screamed his name into the night. It felt like my orgasm was never going to end as waves of pleasure rolled through my entire body whilst he continued to pound into me.

"So tight…fuck!" he roared and pushed in deeper and then stilled. I could feel him coming inside me and it made my walls clench around him as I helped him ride out his release. He began moving slowly inside me again and I reveled at how intimate the aftermath of it all felt.

His hands supported him beside my head and I moved to place a kiss on his ring finger. I giggled when he collapsed on top of me and we laid there for a bit, basking in our post-coital bliss.

I felt like I could take over the world right now but after a very long nap.

"I don't think I can move," I mumbled into his shoulder as he moved beside me and drew me closer to him.

"I think my soul left my body for a bit there," he chuckled and I giggled at his silliness.

"I hope it will always be like this," I whispered. I moved my hand from between us and reached up to scratch his head.

"With us, I think it will. Never in my life did I think I'd find someone like you. The night we met; I was ready to give up the thought of ever finding someone. Right now, laying here beside you, I can't imagine a life without you. If you would ask me to leave this life behind and just run away, I'd do it in a heartbeat." He confessed as he stared into my eyes.

"I think we were destined to be together. I've thrown a lot of shit your way and you've handled me brilliantly, not many men would do that. I know I haven't always been easy to deal with and you deserve a fucking medal for putting up with my shit. But baby, this life, it's who you are. People depend on you, they look up to you and they trust you because you have what it takes to be a leader. I wear the name Cullen with pride Edward because it's what I feel when I'm beside you. I'm proud of my husband. I would never put you in a position where you had to choose. Because deep down, you know this is who you're meant to be and I will stand behind you and support you for the rest of our lives." I declared.

"Not behind me but beside me angel. Never forget that." He said and leaned in closer so he could kiss me, our lips moved slowly against each other.

I never wanted this night to end.

* * *

"Will someone please turn that noise off!" I grumbled into my pillow.

"Baby that's your phone." A deep sleepy voice replied.

"Fuck!" I groaned and reached my arm out to try and locate said phone.

"-lo?" I mumbled again.

"I'M GETTING MARRIED TODAY!" I wanted to cry at the loud voice as my head began to pound against my skull. Who the fuck let me drink so much last night?

"Ali, please…I beg you…just 5 more minutes," I whined into the phone and heard Edward chuckle beside me.

"5 minutes otherwise I'm coming in there and dragging you out by your feet!" she exclaimed and then the line went dead.

Thank god for that.

"5 minutes is all I get?" Edward teased behind me as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into a spooning position.

"Shhh your wife is sleeping," I mumbled, trying my hardest to go back to sleep but there were certain body parts that belonged to my husband that were currently up, and it is really, really, really hard to ignore it.

Who was I kidding, there was no way I was going to push him away. Especially when the hand that was on my waist snaked around to my clit, moving to my entrance to check if I was ready for him.

She was always ready for him.

He grabbed my thigh and lifted my leg up and over his legs as he positioned himself behind me. With a slow shift in his hips, he was soon sheathed inside me. I arched my back and pressed my ass into him as we both just laid there. I sighed with contentment and he slowly began moving inside me.

"Mmmm more baby," I moaned.

"Is my wife awake now?" he teased as he massaged my clit.

"Definitely," I whispered as his thrusts became deeper and his pace increased.

I moved my arm behind me and snaked my hand around his neck, bringing his lips closer to me. Our tongues danced together once he granted me access, 5 minutes were not enough.

With another sigh from me, it was like he could read my mind as his pace quickened and he slammed into me faster from behind.

"I will have you come on my cock before our 5 minutes are up, don't worry about that Isabella," he grunted out my name in my ear, making my skin pebble and my breath hitch.

He wasn't wrong.

I was screaming out his name in pleasure just as someone started pounding on our door.

"I swear to god Isabella Marie Cullen! Get off your husband's dick and open this door! It's been 6 minutes already!" Alice's voice could be heard all the way in our bedroom so there was no doubt in my mind that everyone else on this floor could hear it too.

I giggled into Edward's chest as he rumbled with his own laughter. I pulled the covers off me and walked out of our room, grabbing his discarded shirt on my way to the door.

After a quick glance at myself in the huge mirror, I laughed at the disarray my hair was in and opened the door to find Alice looking at her imaginary watch on her wrist.

"Took you long enough! Come on, you can shower in our room, we haven't got a lot of time left!" She marched passed me and straight towards the bedroom where my dress hung.

I prayed to god Edward was covered up and Alice wasn't about to walk in on my naked husband.

"Alice!" I shouted as I ran after her.

"Damn, ok, I can't blame you for being late if that's what you're ridding." She turned to wink at me and then walked over to the vanity where the dress was hanging.

I turned to see what she saw and found my husband still in bed, one arm bent behind his head and the bedsheet covering from his waist down, exposing that delicious V he had going on. He was scrolling through his phone and frowning at whatever he was reading, completely ignoring the fact that Alice was here.

"Oh Edward, I found my wedding present," she squealed and his eyes quickly darted towards her and then to me before going back to Alice. I'd be laughing if I wasn't drooling at the sight of my husband.

"And what is it that you desire?" god that voice.

"A Porsche, a 911 Turbo to be precise," she smirked as his eyebrows shot to his hairline.

"Color?" he asked and I just shook my head at both of them and moved around the bedroom, collecting the bits I'd need to take down to Alice's room in order to get ready.

I was stepping into a pair of panties as she informed him she wanted a yellow one and he was trying to talk her out of the ridiculous color.

"Jaz wouldn't be caught dead in it!" He tried to reason as I felt his eyes on me. After a quick glance, I looked over to find him watching me slip the panties on. Alice being in the same room didn't faze me, she's seen me naked plenty of times before and she didn't even look away as I flashed both of them.

"He will if he knows what's best for him. You owe me, this is my present and I want it yellow." She comically stomped her foot and Edward huffed out a laugh as he sat up in bed and rested his elbows on his knees, bringing his hands together and resting his chin on it.

"Fine, yellow Porsche it is. Expect it in your driveway once you get back from your honeymoon." He said to her whilst he continued to watch me.

"God aren't you two out of the honeymoon phase yet?" she teased us whilst pretending to gag and moved towards the bedroom door.

"Not even close," I heard Edward say and saw Alice smirk from the corner of my eye.

"Bella our room door is open so just come in as soon as you say your goodbyes. It will only be a couple of hours and then you two will see each other again. I'm sure you can manage that," she shouted on her way out and I heard our suite door close shut.

After grabbing my toiletry bag, I moved over to Edward's side of the bed and leaned down for a kiss. He happily obliged as he palmed my ass, making me moan into his mouth.

"Mmm please don't make this harder than it already is. I'd rather spend the day in bed with you than get ready right now but she's Alice, and she'll be back if I don't go down there." I pleaded when he gave me his best puppy dog eyes.

There was also a slight twinkle in his eyes and he genuinely looked happy.

"What are you guys going to do whilst us girls get ready?" I asked as I straightened up.

"We'll hit the casino and I have a few people I need to meet so I'll be hitting two birds with one stone whilst we're down there." He said as he grabbed my left hand a placed a kiss on it.

"Ok well try to behave ok, and don't let Emmett spend all his money, he has a baby on the way and apparently they aren't cheap," I teased and moved closer to the door.

I took one last look at Edward and groaned at how delicious he looked. If I don't go now, I'll never be able to leave.

"Text me!" I called out as I stepped out of our room and into the corridor.

"Love you, Mrs Cullen!" I heard him call out and I giggled as a young couple turned towards me who were stepping out of their room.

"Love you, baby!" I shouted back and closed the door, making my way over to the elevator that the couple kindly held the door for.

I pressed on the button for the floor below ours and the couple hit the ground floor one. I could feel both of them looking at me and when I glanced over, they both eyed me up and down and the guy smirked whilst the girl blushed and looked away.

Weird.

"We just wanted to say thanks," He quickly said and I watched as she hit his chest in a chastising manner.

"Excuse me?" I wondered.

"Erm, we could hear you and your erm…husband…last night and this morning. It was like free porn but without the visuals," he looked like an excited puppy and she looked like she wanted the ground to open and swallow her up.

You and me both girl.

Luckily the elevator stopped and I stepped out, glad I wasn't going all the way down with them. I turned back just as the door began to close.

"You're welcome and it's better than porn," I winked at them both and laughed at their shocked faces.

I took my phone out and messaged Edward.

_**There's a couple staying next door to us and they took advantage of our fucking last night- B**_

My phone dinged instantly with his response.

**Explain!- E**

_**Apparently, the walls are not as thick as you'd expect in a fancy hotel like this. The guy said it was like free porn but without the visuals- B**_

**Speaking of, how opposed are you to making a home movie?- E **he included a smirking emoji and I laughed as I entered Alice's suite.

_**Not opposed to it in the slightest, we can discuss details later, gotta go doll up now, ttyl xxx- B**_

**Excellent. Love you x- E **never before had I seen Edward end a text with an x and it did funny things to my heart seeing that x on the screen.

"Are you ok?" Rosalie asked as she painted her toenails and adjusted the collagen patches that were stuck below her eyes.

"Yeah I'm fine, I do need a drink though," I walked straight over to the open champagne bottle and poured myself a glass and topped up Ali's one too as she held it out for me.

"How was your night," Rose asked as she blew on her toenails.

"Amazing doesn't cover it," I replied and plopped myself down next to her, taking the sticky collagen eye masks and putting them under my eyes whilst I tilted my head back on the sofa.

Rose leaned in a little closer and gave me a whiff.

"You smell like sex and expensive cologne," she summarised.

"That's all Edward," Alice snickered before downing the rest of her champagne.

"I miss morning sex!" Rose whined and slumped down with me, resting her head on my shoulder.

"What do you mean? That's one of your favorite types of sex to have," I said and raked my fingers through my hair, trying to untangle the mess as much as I can before I get in the shower.

"Morning sickness, Emmett as much as thinks about morning sex sets me off and I'm racing to stick my head in the toilet. Nothing about that is appealing to either of us at the moment." She genuinely looked upset and I tried my hardest not to laugh. I could see Alice's shoulders shaking with silent laughter and I willed myself to look away before it got to me too. I really didn't want to upset my pregnant friend.

"It will pass, and I'm sure that once it does, you two will be back to fucking like bunnies," I nudged her with my shoulder and saw a smile replace her frown.

"Yeah, just gotta get passed it," she said to herself.

Girl talk continued as we got ready.

They even came into the shower with me, Rose sitting on the toilet whilst Alice perched herself on the sink as we talked about our future plans and my future second wedding. Alice was almost begging me to let her help with planning it. I told her she will have to sit down with both Renee and Esme if it's what she wanted and she just beamed at me and told me I won't regret it. Rose only asked if we can do it after she has the baby, she wants to look her best for her other best friend's wedding.

I reassured both of them that it won't be happening any time soon and that there is plenty of time to plan and have babies before I'll be walking down the aisle again.

Our talk soon turned to men and if only they could hear the shit we girls talk about. I'm sure it is worse than what they talk about. There is nothing we don't share. I told them about the intensity of my orgasm after the spanking and Alice chimed in to say Jasper is too worried about hurting her to spank her, but she can tell he wants to. Rose then told us to tell them to choke us a little, not too much but just a small amount of pressure can do wonders for an orgasm.

We funnily all went quiet after that for a while, all three of us lost in thought about sex.

"I found a little black box," Rose said as she curled my hair.

"Shut up! Did you open it?" I asked, excited for what the little black box means.

"No, I wanted to though. Like I really, really wanted to but I didn't. I still want it to be a surprise. I mean I know he's going to propose, but I don't know when or where and I don't know what the ring looks like so it's still very exciting. The idiot left it in his safe which was wide open one morning whilst he was making his protein shake. God, it called to me like Frodo's ring," she whined and Alice and I laughed at her facial expression.

"This is so exciting! Did you ever imagine we'd be married before we're 30?! Before we even graduate?!" Alice asked as she squealed with excitement and walked over to where her dress was hanging, pulling down the zip on the white garment bag and revealing the beautiful white dress.

Rose finished curling the last strand of my hair and I got up and walked over to Alice and helped her get the dress off the hanger so she could put it on.

I knew she wished her mom was here more than anything but with both of her parents gone, Rose and I stepped up to fill that role. We were literally the only family she has left.

The dress was simple but very Alice. It had a chic satin sweetheart neckline, it was A-line and surprisingly knee length. Rose and I were surprised when she announced that this was the one. She said that because their wedding is informal and isn't inside some grand church, she wanted her dress to represent her. It had lace appliques around the bottom and the neckline and she had heels to match.

Both Rose and I helped her step into the dress and we fastened it up for her from the back. Once she stepped away and turned around, I couldn't hold back the tears that threatened to spill the moment she unzipped the garment bag.

Her make up was natural with a light blush to color her cheeks, I saw how her eyes watered as she looked at us and I laughed as she tilted her head up so the tears won't spill.

"You look beautiful Ali, you were absolutely right, this dress represents you and compliments you," I said to her as we moved in closer and embraced her. She beamed at us and fanned her eyes, making sure the tears don't drop.

"I can't wait to become Mrs. Whitlock!" she shouted and threw her hands up in the air with excitement.

The room phone started ringing and whilst she walked over to answer it, Rose and I stepped into our bridesmaid dresses.

Our makeup matched with a light smoky eye and nude lipstick. Our hair was curled and swept to the side, hanging over our naked shoulders. Man am I glad it's warm here in Vegas, there was no way I'd be wearing something sleeveless in Chicago right now.

"Ok that was the front desk, our car is here," she sang and walked back over to where the almost empty champagne bottle stood and poured out the rest for both her and I whilst Rose filled her glass with a virgin Peach Bellini.

We toasted to Alice and downed our drinks. Rose and I left our belongings by the door of Alice's suite so that we could quickly grab them when we all come back to the hotel before they leave for their honeymoon.

We all held hands as stepped into the elevator and descended down to the ground floor.

Our driver held the door wide open for us and helped us in.

For a split second, I wondered if this guy was legit and whether we should be inside this car. In my panic, I quickly got my phone out to find that Edward had already messaged me.

**He works with Gerald. I'm always watching angel- E**

_**How did you know?- B**_

**I think I'm rubbing off on you and I'm in the car behind you- E**

I quickly turned around and saw Gerald behind us.

_**My hero. And I love nothing more than you rubbing against me x- B**_

His only reply was a smirking face and the eggplant emoji and I actually laughed out loud when I saw it.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I sat back in my seat and looked out the window, watching Vegas pass us by.

It took us no time at all to arrive at the little chapel and I half expected Elvis to come out and greet us but instead, it was Emmett and then Edward stepped out of his car and made his way towards us.

"How is he? Is he alright? Is he here?" Alice asked frantically as she stepped up to a towering Emmett.

"He's fine. Yes, and of course he's here. He's been here for the past hour making sure everything is set." Emmett rubbed her arm to try and soothe her but I knew that nothing will calm her nerves until she lays eyes on him.

"Let's head in," Edward finally spoke and my body tingled all over as he stepped up closer to me and kissed the side of my head, leaving his hand on the small of my back.

We stepped into the chapel and were led into a little room to the side whilst Emmett and Edward walked inside the hall.

"I will let you know once we're ready," a sweet old lady said as she backed out of the small room, closing the door behind her.

"Oh god, I'm nervous. Fuck! Bella what do I do?!" She quickly turned to me and grasped my arms, the roses in her bouquet pressed up and digging into my arm.

"Just breathe sweetie, I promise there is nothing to worry about. He loves you and you love him. It's really that simple. The biggest difference will be you having his name. Nothing else changes, I promise. You'll still be Alice and he will still be Jasper." I reassured her and stepped back when there was a light knock on the door and the old lady poked her head in.

"We're ready for you," she beamed at us and opened the door wider.

Rose and I stepped out first and walked over to the double doors that led into the main hall. They too soon opened and we stepped forward. A man was sat playing the piano as Rose and I made our way to the front.

Jasper stood proud and tall, beaming at us. All I could focus on was Edward though.

I was quickly sucked back into our own wedding night where I was walking towards Edward, declaring my love and commitment in front of God and our witness. A night I was never going to forget.

I could hear someone taking pictures to my right but I didn't take my eyes off Edward.

Once Rose and I reached the front, we stood to the side and turned towards the doors again as the music changed and the double doors opened once more.

She looked so small stepping through the threshold but she held her head high and beamed the whole way as she glided towards Jasper. I looked at him too and saw tears falling down his face as he looked at her. Edward placed a reassuring hand on Jasper's shoulder and I watched Jasper nod, never taking his eyes off Alice.

She soon reached the front of the chapel and stood beside us, beaming up at Jasper as he clasped her hands in his. I stepped forward and she handed me the bouquet before taking hold of Jasper's hands again.

"Dearly beloved,"


	34. Chapter 34

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 34**

The ceremony had been short and sweet, they had both written their own vows and spoke about love at first sight, promises to cherish each other for as long as they'll both live and the meaning of family, how it doesn't always have to be blood related. They both looked at the 4 of us when they spoke those words and I cried a little, wanting nothing more than to run over to Edward and hug him.

Edward and I signed as witnesses and I realized I had subconsciously changed my signature to include my new name. I must admit it looked great on the dotted line, especially next to Edward's.

Soon, we all piled up inside a huge limo and both Esme and Carlisle called to congratulate the couple. They briefly caught up and the call ended with Carlisle asking Edward to call him when he gets a minute. Luckily Alice was too occupied to complain about talks of work on her wedding day.

My hand was clasped inside Edward's as we drove to The Grove where Alice had booked a small outside venue with a bar and a buffet that Rose was eager to get her hands on.

I could feel Edward's phone blowing up in his pocket with incoming messages and his hand twitched every time it vibrated. When I looked up to see his face, I saw he was scowling as he looked out the window and I wondered whether he received any word about Hunter's whereabouts. It's the only thing that has recently been the cause of his scowling.

"Everything ok?" I whispered, trying to make sure no one is paying any attention to us.

He whipped his head round to face me and quickly shook his head before darting his eyes towards our friends.

He leaned in closer to me, pretending to leave a kiss on my cheek but his lips turned towards my ear.

"He's been spotted inside our hotel. Peter called earlier to say Hunter approached him, asking if he's seen me and that Hunter wants to catch up." He spoke quickly and I could hear the edge to his tone.

Fuck.

I was about to tell him that he must know we're here but the limo pulled up to the venue and our friends exited the car animatedly, waving over the photographer that had followed in the car behind.

"He knows we're here," I quickly said as Alice was motioning for us to join them in the group photo.

He confirmed my suspicions with a single nod and we turned towards the beaming couple, smiling and keeping quiet about our revelation.

We posed as a group, both silly and normal shots were taken as we took guidance from the photographer. We posed in couples. We posed with just the bride with bridesmaids and then just the groom with groomsmen and then we swapped the newlyweds.

I also managed to coax Edward into taking a few extra shots of just him and me for our own collection. After a couple of minutes, Edward stopped listening to what the photographer was saying and only paid all of his attention on me. I could still hear the clicks of the camera but all I could see was him. We got lost in each other like we always tend to do as we discussed our own honeymoon, kissing every now and then. I was positive we'll be getting some amazing shots of us. I was excited to see them because we only had one picture from the night we got married and I still haven't gotten round to having it printed.

We thanked Jaden the photographer and I gave him my email so he could send the pictures to me once they were done.

We joined the rest of the group and as soon as we were close enough to hear them, Edward's phone was blowing up again and I heard him growl under his breath.

"Just take it, it won't stop until you answer it." I murmured to him so the others wouldn't hear.

He looked frustrated as he raked his hand through his hair and reached to the inside pocket of his jacket and took his phone out.

"Demetri," he barked into the phone and then stepped aside so our friends couldn't see him.

I walked over to them and four sets of eyes turned to me and then to Edward's retreating form. It looked like Emmett and Jasper were about to go after him but I shook my head.

I walked over to Alice and wrapped my arm around her waist, giving it a gentle squeeze. Luckily she just beamed up at me and didn't seem too fazed or upset that Edward had to take a call.

I was pretty positive my best friend knew the importance of Edward being kept in the loop of whatever may be going on at home. The three of us hardly spoke about the life our men are a part of but it felt like an unwritten rule that we just knew. They confided in us and unloaded their stress and worry on us so we knew the logistics, we simply just didn't talk about them with each other.

We carried on talking but I kept a watchful eye on Edward who was still on the phone. His hair was sticking out in all sorts of different directions because he hadn't stopped running his hand through it as he talked to Demetri and god knows who else.

I couldn't ignore him anymore once the expletives started leaving his mouth after every word. I excused myself and made my way over to him.

He briefly turned around to look at me once he sensed someone was coming over and I watched his fists unclench when he realized it was me. His eyes quickly darted to my exposed leg as the dress moved whilst I was walking and then he was back to barking orders into the phone.

I stood by his side, holding my glass of champagne and a glass of scotch for Edward who looked like he was about to kill whoever he was on the phone too.

"I don't give a flying fuck, I fucking pay you to fucking handle this shit and fucking contact me with fucking results! If you can't handle one simple fucking task then you're no fucking use to me!" he growled into the phone and now really wasn't the time to get turned on by him but I couldn't help it.

I let out a small moan and his head whipped around to look at me so quickly I wondered how he didn't give himself whiplash. I tried to look at least sheepish about it but it was no use, his eyes were ablaze as he raked his eyes over my body. I clenched my thighs together and I saw him notice it. His tongue darted out to lick his lips and I became jealous of it. I wanted to lick his lips.

"You've got half hour to get back to me with fucking useful information." He ended the call without waiting for a response and stalked over to where I stood.

I lifted the champagne flute up to my lips as I held the scotch out to him. He took hold of it and drank the whole thing in one go, never once showing any discomfort in the way the amber liquid burned his throat.

"Let me guess, Hunter related?" I asked as I fixated on that tongue peeking out again.

"Yeah. This ends tonight Isabella. I'm done playing cat and mouse. I don't care how and I don't care where. He dies tonight." I could see the rage in his eyes and feel it pumping through his body.

"What's the plan?" I asked and looked at our friends again, who were all laughing about something, Alice was literally holding her stomach, folded in half whilst Emmett pretended to wipe his imaginary tears. Rose was doing the pee dance again and Jasper had his head thrown back with laughter. I knew that if we told them, it would ruin the otherwise perfect day.

"Don't tell them" I suddenly blurted out, focusing back on Edward who looked at me questioningly.

"What do you mean?" he looked at our friends and I saw the moment he figured it out.

"I don't want to ruin their day. This is our mess and we will end this baby, together. I know I have zero fucking experience in what you do and Jaz and Em are better equipped at this than I am. But the night of our wedding, we worked pretty fucking well as a team. We can do it again. You just gotta tell me what you need me to do." I stepped up closer to him, my chest rising and falling against his as the adrenaline started pumping through me.

"It's fucking scary how well you've accustomed to my life, Isabella. It's also fucking scary how much the thought of you being involved in this is probably making me think irrationally. But I also know what you mean." He moved his left hand to the side of my neck and brought his lips down on mine in a heated kiss. My body hummed like a live wire as his lips continued to caress mine.

A wolf whistle broke us apart but we carried on standing there, breathing the same breath.

"We wait and see when he'll pop up again. I know I shouldn't but I'll make sure Emmett and Jasper are none the wiser so I'm trusting you to watch my back baby. You need to let me know instantly if you see him, whether you get a vibe or you see him with your own two eyes, let me know immediately. By now he knows we're probably on to him so we'll have to wait and see what he does once he spots us. Stay close to me ok?" he spoke fast and clear as he led me towards our friends.

"I promise baby. I've got your back." was my quick response as we got closer to our friends.

Whenever the guys questioned Edward about the phone calls, he kept telling them it was shipment related and to forget about it, he will deal with it tomorrow when we go back home.

There was another party being held close to where we were and people had even come over to congratulate Alice and Jasper even to the point of giving them marital advice. I tried hard to stifle my laughter every time Edward would scoff at a comment, whispering under his breath that it was bullshit and according to my husband, all of them needed to get laid more often and there wouldn't be any problems. I actually had to hide my face from the last comment as he not so subtly coughed 'bullshit' after some preppy woman shared her two cents.

I noticed that Edward and I had stopped topping our glasses up with alcohol subconsciously and the only other person to notice was Rose as she wasn't drinking. She kept raising her eyebrow in question but never said anything out loud which I was grateful for.

It was close to 8 PM by the time Rose and I reminded Alice that their flight to Saint Lucia was in 2 hours' time.

We all piled back into the limo, Alice and Jasper sharing a bottle of champagne between them as they continued to celebrate and Emmett continued to give them bedroom advice. He went as far as talking about introducing sex toys and role play, advising them to make sure the hotel can install a sex swing and to thank him later once they try it. I laughed once I noticed Rose nodding along to that one.

"It's how the baby was made," she leaned in to whisper in my ear and I laughed harder.

Once we were all back at the hotel, we made our way up to their suite so Rose and I could collect our stuff and say our goodbyes.

I told Alice to keep in touch and send loads of pictures if they ever leave the bedroom. She said she won't make any promises but will try to at least get some sun out there.

I hugged my best friend tightly, telling her how much I love her and how amazing it is to see her so happy. I then moved over to Jasper who looked like he was in a serious conversation with Edward but as I neared closer, Edward was actually telling him how happy he is for them and that Jasper is officially off the clock and not to worry about the shit going on back home. Jasper looked like he wanted to argue but then he noticed me and moved to hug me. I told him the same thing and asked him to look after my little pixie.

After all the goodbyes were over and done with, the rest of us made our back to our own suites.

Emmett and Rose were on their way to meet Peter and Charlotte but only after Rose has a short nap as the excitement from today has worn her out.

After bidding them goodbye, Edward and I made our way up to our suite. Once inside, I kicked my shoes off and flexed my feet, marveling at the feeling of being out of those heels. The cool marbled floor felt great as I padded into our bedroom.

We had stayed quiet as we both undressed but I was hyper-aware of Edward's proximity. I could also feel his eyes following my every move. I slowly padded into the bathroom and started the water for the bath. After making sure the temperature was just right, I walked back out to find Edward in his underwear putting his gun on top of the dresser. I hadn't even noticed he was carrying even though I've had my arms around him most of the day.

"Where were you hiding that?" I asked as I leaned against the bathroom doorframe, admiring my husband's physique.

I heard him chuckle as he opened the draw and took out a rectangular velvet box and turned to face me.

"It was strapped to my ankle," he simply said and walked over to me.

As he stood in front of me, his eyes traveled down my body with his finger trailing down from my shoulder to the valley between my breast, down to my stomach where he circled my belly button and then down to my mound. I gasped as he palmed me, his middle finger easily slipped between my lower lips and he slowly dragged his hand back up, coating his finger with my wetness. My knees were close to buckling as he brought that finger up to his lips and licked it clean, humming as he lapped at his digit.

"Delicious," he whispered against my parted lips as he leaned closer. I was holding on to the doorframe for dear life, anticipating his next move.

"I came close to using that gun today. Did you notice the way other men were looking at you from the party next to us? Did you notice the way their eyes traveled up and down your body, focusing on your exposed skin…probably wondering what it felt like. Did you see the jealousy on the women's faces? Did you notice my animalistic need to claim you in front of them? Did you notice any of that Isabella?" his voice grew gruffer as he continued to speak.

I was pretty sure he could feel my heart pumping inside my chest as his voice caused my insides to clench. I couldn't find my voice so I just shook my head.

"No, I didn't think you did. But I noticed, I noticed because all I could focus on is you. Back at the chapel, all I heard and saw was you. In the limo, I was intoxicated by your scent. It felt like an electric current was flowing through me every time you would move closer to me. My fingers twitched to reach out and grab you." He said as his hand snaked around my back and palmed my ass, bringing my hips against his. And here I thought he was itching to answer his phone back in the limo.

"Back at The Grove, I didn't care that some guy was taking pictures of us, to be honest, I almost forgot he was there I was that focused on you. I was lulled by the way your chest moved as you simply breathed in and out. It was slower than what you're doing now. Am I making you nervous Isabella?" he said.

"No, not nervous. Just…waiting," I was waiting to see what he would do next, my chest rising and falling in anticipation still. I was hypnotized by him.

"Mmmm…your tits would brush up and down against my chest or my arm and I wanted nothing more than to feel that skin on skin," he demonstrated by bringing his chest close to mine, looking down as my breast did indeed rub up and down against him as my breathing increased.

"Women pay money to have tits like yours. But there's nothing fake about you Isabella, that's probably why you are so desirable to many. You're like a prized trophy in their eyes. But to me, to me, you are so much more. Seeing you sign your name next to mine, seeing my family name accompanying yours caused a reaction in me I never expected." His eyes glazed over ever so slightly and I wondered what was going through his head and whether he enjoyed seeing my new name on the paper as much as I did.

I was so focused on him that I jumped when he turned his head towards the bath. When I turned to look, I noticed the bath was full.

He stepped away from me and turned the water off. He placed the rectangular box he was still holding on the side of the tub and dropped his boxer briefs. He turned and stepped into the bath, resting his hands on the edge of the tub as he lowered himself into the water.

He looked up at me and cocked his eyebrow. I willed my legs to move as I felt like I was still under his spell. As I stepped into the tub, I turned around so my back was to him and slowly lowered myself down. He brought my back against his chest and wrapped his strong arms around me.

"Remember when I told you about the cuff the men in my family wear and that the women wear a locket with the family crest on?" he suddenly asked and I briefly wondered where he was going with this.

"Yeah, I've seen Esme wear hers," I said, humming as he cupped water in his hands and let it trickled down my chest.

"Do you remember George telling me my other order was ready, and how it had been a while since he had to use that particular design?" he asked again and I nodded, waiting for him to carry on.

"The design he was referring to is the family crest." He finally said.

Edward turned behind me and grabbed the box. He moved his arms back around me and held the box in front of me. My breath hitched as he opened it to reveal a white gold chain and a pendant nestled inside. The design was intricate and held a proud lion inside with delicate ivy design. After taking a closer look, I noticed some of the floral design was similar to my wedding ring and my fingers shook as I gently traced the locket.

"Edward it's beautiful," I whispered as I took the necklace out of the box, the white gold shimmered as it caught the light in the room.

"Will you help me put it on?" I asked as I turned my head to look at him. He nodded and dropped the empty box down on the floor before reaching out for the locket.

I gathered my hair up and watched as he wound the chain around my neck, the metal was cold against my already heated skin and it took a second for him to clasp it together. Once the necklace was securely around my neck, the locket dropped lower ever so slightly and rested just above my cleavage. Edward kissed the back of my still exposed neck and then trailed his lips over to my ear.

"I dreamt about that locket being around your neck the first night you stayed over," he said quietly. His hands moved around to my front again and left a heated trail on my skin before they dipped under the water.

His fingers grazed my pussy, teasing but never dipping lower. I was about to start begging but within seconds, two of his fingers entered me and he started moving them in and out at a leisurely pace. He had me writhing against him as I followed the movement of his fingers. His other hand palmed my breast, rolling my nipples between his fingers to get them into hard peaks. I threw my head back and rested it against his shoulder, turning my face towards his jaw. It felt rough under my tongue as his day's growth was more prominent than ever. My breath caught in my throat as I imagined what that face would feel like between my legs. How it would leave the tender skin redraw.

As he continued to work me over with his fingers, I reached back and grasped his hard cock in my hand.

"Baby you're so hard," I said against his jaw and he twitched in my hand and brought his head down as he got lost in what I was doing. With his face lowered, I took his earlobe into my mouth, suckling and biting it just so I could hear him groan.

I'm not sure who lost it first but our moans were lost in each other's mouths as our lips clashed. The kiss was rough and messy as we rode our orgasms out.

He never stopped rubbing my pussy as he leaned back in the tub and I slumped back against him. His ministrations were slow but that didn't stop me from coming a second or a third time.

By the time I was coming up to coming a fourth time, Edward was hard again but this time he lifted me up and sank me down onto his cock, timing it perfectly just as I came crashing down around him. Moaning his name as my body shook from the convulsion, over and over again.

He did most of the work as I bounced on top of him. Telling me how good I feel, how much he loves me, and how he couldn't wait to come inside me. He was begging me to come again, I didn't think I had another one in me but as he carried on pumping in and out of me, his hard cock reaching places his fingers couldn't and filling me deeper in this position, I couldn't hold back even if I wanted to.

He stilled and called my name out as I continued to grind against him, not raising up but just letting my hips roll.

I was absolutely spent and wanted nothing more than to get out of this wonderful tub and get into bed, catch up on the much-needed sleep I missed last night.

But of course, that wasn't the case. As soon as we both got the feeling back in our limbs, Edward's phone was making itself known again as the ringing was relentless.

"Once this shit is over, I'm throwing that damn thing off the jet!" I grumbled and got out of the bath, reaching for a fluffy towel and grabbing a second one for Edward.

He laughed but didn't say anything else as he walked over to the dresser to grab his phone, leaving wet footprints on the floor and securing the towel low around his waist.

I don't think I'd have the energy to come again but watching the water droplets roll down his back had me in a trance.

"FUCK!" he suddenly exclaimed and I was brought out of my stupor.

"What's wrong?" I walked over to him and placed my hand on his back. He was already tense under my fingers.

"He's here," was all he said as he continued to read something on his phone as it kept pinging.

"What do you mean he's here?" I demanded and grabbed his shoulder to try and turn him towards me.

"He's at the hotel, in the casino," he growled out and stepped away from me. He started pacing in front of the bed as he put the phone to his ear.

"How long? Who's there with him? No that won't be necessary. Fuck off with that shit! Tell me if he leaves, I want to know his every move," he put the phone down and walked over to the closet and started putting clothes on.

"Get dressed Isabella, we have work to do."

Fuck.


	35. Chapter 35

**AN: Hello my lovelies, sorry this has taken some time to come out, I work with the National Health and things have been quite hectic recently as the death toll in the UK just keeps rising and yet, our government is already talking about lifting lockdown! Grrrr don't even get me started! **

**Anyhoooo...enjoy ;)**

**P.S. the next update will be Monday :)**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 35**

"_He's at the hotel, in the casino," he growled out and stepped away from me. He started pacing in front of the bed as he put the phone to his ear._

"_How long? Who's there with him? No that won't be necessary. Fuck off with that shit! Tell me if he leaves, I want to know his every move," he put the phone down and walked over to the closet and started putting clothes on. _

"_Get dressed Isabella, we have work to do."_

_Fuck._

I felt my pulse quicken as I watched Edward pull out his shoulder harness and slip two guns in. He once again picked up the strap that went around his ankle and secured the third gun to his body.

A panicked briefly because I wasn't sure what I should wear. I dropped the towel I still had around me and walked over to the closet to get my jeans out. Who knows what the hell we'll be doing tonight, I wanted to be able to run if I had to.

"Wear a dress Bella, we're going to need to go down to the casino and blend in with the rest of them," Edward commanded and I nodded even though he couldn't see me.

I suddenly thought to dress in all black like it was some sort of Mission Impossible situation but I realized I hadn't packed anything to suit a situation like this. So I went for my midnight blue silk dress I had sneaked into my bag before we left for the airport. It came just above my knees with another long slit up to my thigh. My hair was still up and out of the way but a few loose strands hung down my face. Edward said we had to blend in with the rest of the people down at the casino, as I checked myself out, I think I did a pretty good job.

"Do I get a gun?" I suddenly asked.

"You have nowhere to conceal it, Isabella. If I'll need you to shoot, I'll give you one of mine," he grumbled and fastened his Rolex around his wrist.

"Then I'm ready," there was a sharpness to my tone and he whipped his head round to face me.

"Drop the attitude," he said slowly.

"Then stop being a dick, you agreed we'd do this together and you're talking to me like I'm a child," I barked out and took a small step back as he approached me.

"Your safety lies in my hands. I can't risk anything going wrong, do you understand that?" I watched him try to compose himself as he towered over me.

"I understand that but you also got to have a little faith in me," I said more calmly.

"You have to follow my lead on this. I love your strong-willed attitude, I find it a turn on but please, for my own sake and sanity, do as your told. I won't live if he hurts you." He said and moved in closer to me.

"I'll do anything you tell me to," I breathed out.

"Anything?" his tone turned suggestive as the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk.

"You know that. You can do anything you want to me once we take the trash out," I said seductively and leaned up to leave a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth.

I watched his eyes darken and felt a low growl vibrate through him. He grabbed my chin and roughly kissed me, expressing everything into the kiss. I kissed him back, matching his hunger and urgency. He bit on my lip before sharply turning and walking out of the bedroom and into the living area where he checked he had everything and opened the door for me, waiting for me to follow.

I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart, grabbed my purse, and walked out of our suit. Edward shut the door behind me and silently followed me towards the elevator.

Edward looked pure menacing as he stood by me, waiting for the elevator to arrive. Rage was rolling off his body as he stood there with his fists clenching the longer we waited.

It was rather scary how easy it is for him to switch from my Edward to a mobster. The last time I watched that side of him slip out was when he took me to the warehouse and he was questioning Ben.

Our elevator arrived and he let me step in first, placing his hand on the small of my back and leaving it there as we descended towards the casino.

The entire hotel and casino floor was buzzing with people. I instantly felt uneasy as soon as we stepped foot inside the brightly lit room and wound my arm through Edward's. It felt like we were too exposed. I didn't know if Hunter had any of his people here, watching us. He was smart to lure us in here I'll give him that.

Our entrance turned a few heads but we otherwise ignored them. I was getting pretty used to the stares now but it still surprised me how many people knew the name, Cullen.

"Do you see him?" I asked Edward.

"No, but something doesn't feel right," he said, voicing my own worries.

"Let's go to the bar and get a drink, if he's watching us, we can't let him know we're on to him. If we're blending in then we need to look like we've just come down here to enjoy a night of gambling," I spoke softly as we made our way through the crowd. Edward stopped and said hello to a few people but didn't introduce me to them. I was about to pull him up on that but I remembered what he was like at the start of our relationship. He didn't even tell his security people my name to keep me safe.

Felix doesn't count of course.

These people continued to kiss ass as we tried to get to the bar and I suddenly felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I had Edward's forearm in a death grip and felt it flex as I dug my nails into him.

"Excuse me, Mr. Thompson," he said to the white-haired man that had stopped us to _chat_. He turned his body to me and blocked me from people's view, leaning in like he was whispering sweet nothings into my ear.

"What is it?" he asked instead.

"Someone's watching us. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end, every part of my body is on alert and something doesn't feel right," I quickly said as I looked past him and out towards the crowds of people.

I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The room was just full of people gambling away their money.

I tried to shake that bad feeling off and I don't know what made me do it but I quickly turned towards the Blackjack table and caught a glimpse of a dirty blond ponytail.

"The Blackjack table!" I quickly said and Edward turned around at lightning speed and put his phone to his ear. It felt like the people around us were getting louder as I tried to catch another glimpse of him whilst Edward spoke to whoever was on the other line.

And then I spotted him again but before I could let Edward know, he reached out and grabbed my hand, leading me towards the slot machines where I had spotted Hunter. He pocketed his phone and growled as people kept trying to walk between us.

It felt like Hunter was leading us around the whole casino as he continued to leisurely walk around, stopping at some card tables but never sitting down to actually play. He knew we were a few steps behind him and he would look up and smirk at us, knowing Edward wouldn't dare open fire in a crowded room like this. I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face.

He was toying with us and it was driving me fucking crazy.

"The fuck is he playing at?" I suddenly said and two old ladies turned to face me and scoffed before they scurried away, talking about how ladies shouldn't use such foul language.

He finally settled on a Craps table whilst Edward and I walked over and stood by the bar opposite him. We were waiting for him to make the first move. I was hoping he would try and leave but it was like he was bidding his time and wasting ours.

"I don't like this. What is he waiting for?" I was once again thinking out loud. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and drew lazy circles on my waist as we stood leaning against the bar.

Hunter kept glancing over to us but otherwise made no other move.

"If I were a betting man, I'd say he's waiting for me to leave you on your own. He knows you're my weakness and he knows that if he gets his hands on you, I'll chase him. It is all a game to him. It always has been. It feels like we've been competing our entire lives. His own father praised me more than he did Hunter." Edward spoke calmly next to me.

I turned my gaze back towards Hunter and found him sneering at us like he heard what Edward had said. He continued to look down at his phone. He is definitely waiting for something or someone.

"Do you see any of his men here?" I asked as I looked around again, trying to see if anyone stood out like a sore thumb. Goons tend to always stick out. But for all I know, his men could be dressed like the casino's security guys to blend in.

"No, we got rid of most of them when they ambushed the warehouse. The guys he was with before were only loyal to Stefan and Vlad. They don't hold the same loyalty for Hunter." He simply said.

"This is the fifth time he's checked his phone since he sat down at the table," I said as I ran my finger around the rim of my champagne glass that was handed to me a second ago.

"Very perceptive Mrs. Cullen," he crooned in my ear.

Edward reached inside his jacket pocket and took his phone out and brought it up to his ear again.

"Siobhan, who has he been in contact with tonight?" Edward quickly asked. I hadn't realized Siobhan was his tech guy or girl in this case. She never said anything.

"She's fine, she's right here with me. No, you can't talk to her right now. I don't fucking care if it's important! No, I don't want to hear shit about you and Seth either! Fucking focus Siobhan!" he grumbled and I wanted to laugh. I probably would have if it were under different circumstances. I smiled when I saw his eyes roll as he shot a glance at me but something shiny caught the corner of my eye and I looked back at the Craps table and found Hunter pointing a gun in our direction.

Suddenly the room was full of screaming as it filled with the sound of a gun being fired. The glass behind the bar shattered and I felt like I was watching it in slow motion as people began scattering like ants. Edward's phone dropped out of his hand and it was soon replaced by a gun as he aimed at Hunter's retreating form.

Edward grabbed my hand and we ran after him. I've never been more grateful for being able to run in heels than at this moment. Edward shoved the people in front of us aside as Hunter kept looking back and trying to shoot at us at the same time. My ears were ringing from people shrieking but I kept my eyes on Hunter, ducking every time he took another shot at us.

We continued to run after him as he ran out of the hotel and pulled some guy out of a car window that was parked outside before jumping in.

"Shit!" I cursed as Edward continued to drag me towards a car that a valet just pulled up in. He ran around to the driver's side and shoved the valet out of the way before telling me to jump in. I was moving on instinct now and we were off before I could close the door.

I'd never seen Edward drive stick before but it was seriously hot watching him do it. He momentarily took his hand off the stick and reached inside his jacket and pulled a Glock out and handed it to me.

_Finally. _

"Take this and be ready but don't shoot until we get him alone," he said as he pressed on the gas and waved through the oncoming traffic. There was only one car between us and Hunter and Edward made sure to drive on that guy's ass in order to make him get out of the way.

"I could just shoot his tires," I said and Edward chuckled darkly before cranking on the gas again, gently bumping the guy in front. The idiot finally changed lanes but not before flipping us off.

We were leaving city limits by now and the only thing around was desert as the bright lights of Vegas faded behind us.

Hunter didn't look like he was slowing down any time soon and neither were we. He really was a coward. He couldn't even stay and fight. He was a pussy when he ran away the day he took a shot at me on campus and he's being a pussy now. It seemed like Hunter relied on his goons too much.

We drove for another 10 minutes right on Hunter's tail and for a second, I wondered why he hasn't taken a shot at us and I wondered why I wanted him to. Maybe I subconsciously thought it would give me a justifiable reason to shoot back.

"Shit, where's my phone?" Edward suddenly asked.

"You dropped it when he shot at us, it's probably being trampled on back at the casino," I said as I kept my eyes straight, never taking them off the car in front.

"Where's your phone?" he then asked.

I reached into my purse that I had thrown down by my feet and took my phone out, handing it to him. He entered the code and connected the phone to the car's Bluetooth. Siobhan's name came up on the dashboard and it took a second before she picked up.

"Bella?" her voice was frantic as she picked up.

"Are you still tracking his phone?" Edward barked out.

"Yeah boss, he's heading up to Clark County but it's showing you're still back at the hotel. What's going on?"

"He took a shot at us when you and Edward were on the phone, Edward dropped the phone to reach for his gun. We're right behind him though. Is there an airport nearby or an airfield or anything of the sort in that direction?" I quickly asked and held onto my seat as Edward sped up.

"No, nothing like that. It just sand. What are you thinking?" she asked and I could hear her typing away in the background.

"Back at the hotel, he kept checking his phone, I just wondered if he's running to Canada, maybe he's got a flight sorted. But then he's chosen to go the opposite way from the airport," I said.

"No there's absolutely nothing out there unless he's got a car and someone waiting for him. I'll keep looking and let you know." The line went dead and we continued to follow him.

Not a single car had driven past us. Every now and then, Hunter would increase his speed but Edward and I easily kept up. I was beginning to get restless the further out we drove.

"Please can I just shoot his tires, how much further is he going to drive?" I grumbled as I fidgeted in my seat.

"If he carries on for another mile, you're more than welcome to shoot angel," Edward said as once again, his forearm flexed as he changes gears. I was hyper-aware of him and more than once did I want to climb over the console and straddle him. It was making it hard to focus on the task at hand. I knew full well now wasn't the time but there was a part of me that wanted to see what Edward would do if I acted on it.

I shifted once again and saw Edward turn to look at me.

"Remind me to never take you to a stakeout," he teased lightly whilst his eyebrows knitted together.

"Pardon me for wanting this shit over and done with so I can get you back to our hotel room. I'm this close-" I held my index finger and thumb close together "to climbing over this console and just taking what I want," I huffed in annoyance and he laughed at me.

The tension in his shoulders momentarily seemed to have lifted but it was short-lived as Hunter quickly swerved to the right and drove onto the dry land. My arms shot out in front of me to steady myself as Edward quickly did the same maneuver. Hunter stupidly turned his headlights off but seeing as we still had ours on, it was easy to keep up with him. For someone who wanted to take over Chicago, he definitely wasn't the brightest tool in the box.

"Now you can shoot," Edward quickly said as both of our windows rolled down. I tried to hold steady but the ground was so uneven, my shots just pinged off the boot of the car as I aimed and fired.

"Fuck this!" I said and undid my seatbelt and hung out the window a little.

"Isabella get the fuck back inside the car!" Edward bellowed as a few stray shots fired back at us.

I locked my arms once more and fired again and hit the right back tire. But as soon as my shot fired, I felt a burning sensation on my arm. I didn't dare see what caused the pain as I fired again but missed and hit the side door instead when Hunter took another sharp turn.

I sat back inside the car whilst Edward continued to drive and shoot at the same time.

"Fuck," I shouted as the pain increased and I could feel something warm trickle down my arm. When I finally looked down, there was a long cut across my bicep, close to my shoulder.

"Sonofa-" I hardly got the word out before Edward turned to look at me.

"Motherfucker!" He shouted and sped up. We were bumper to bumper with Hunter's car now.

"I fucking told you to stay inside the car!" he shouted at me but that only caused the anger in me to bubble further.

"Don't fucking swear at me! It's just a fucking graze! Focus on the asshole in front of us!" I shouted back holding onto my arm as more blood started coming out. The adrenalin flowing through my veins was the only thing stopping me from panicking right now.

Edward once again readied his gun and continued shooting at Hunter, this time with a sinister glare on his face. I tried looking at the back seat of the car for anything I could wrap my arm in and I conveniently found a silk shawl on the back seat. I quickly grabbed it and tore a piece off. I wrapped it a few times around my arm so that the material could soak up the blood and hopefully prevent it from spilling any more.

I then focused back on Edward and noticed he had shot up the other back tire and the back window was missing.

"Hold on," he said and rammed into the back of Hunter's car, causing our bumper to latch onto the back of the car. Edward took another shot and I saw it graze the side of Hunter's head and ear as our headlights beamed forward.

The car skidded to a stop and Edward was out of the car instantly, rounding over to Hunter who remained seated. I watched Edward wretch the door open and grab Hunter, pulling him out as he stepped back. Edward didn't waste time and swung at Hunter and continued to pound his face whilst he just stood there.

I couldn't imagine this was him giving up and something definitely didn't feel right.

This felt too easy.

My hand stayed on the handle as I watched intently. The way one of his arms was behind his back didn't sit right with me.

"There are rules in our world. Rules you have continued to dismiss. Rules our fathers drilled into our heads! Your carelessness for these rules is going to be the thing that kills you. How stupid do you have to be to shoot at my wife? Did you honestly think we would give you your half of Chicago? Fucking look at yourself!" Edward snarled at him.

"You think you're better than me? You think some fucking tradition is going to stop me from taking what's mine? You and your precious family owe me!" he sneered back at Edward and I saw his arm shift.

I instantly stepped out of the car and had my gun raised before either man could say or do anything. Hunter's head swiveled towards me and a slimy grin spread across his face.

"Mmm, I'm going to enjoy making you watch me fuck every hole your pretty little _wife _has. Oh, I do hope she puts up a fight, like them feisty," I heard Hunter say.

"Don't fucking look at her!" Edward snarled back and brought his gun to Hunter's head

"You scared Cullen?" his laugh was sinister and it sent a shiver down my back.

I noticed his eyes were bloodshot as he looked at me again. He was extremely unpredictable right now if he was strung up on drugs.

Edward turned to look at me and that was the same time I saw Hunter draw a gun out and press it into Edward's side.

I didn't want to trust my eyes at this moment.

I wanted this to be some sort of a sick dream.

But then everything happened so quickly.

I simply pulled the trigger.

But there were two gunshots that rang out.


	36. Chapter 36

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 36**

_I didn't want to trust my eyes at this moment. _

_I wanted this to be some sort of a sick dream._

_But then everything happened so quickly._

_I simply pulled the trigger. _

_But there were two gunshots that rang out._

I watched in a trance as Hunter's body slumped down to the ground and Edward stumbled back. I automatically moved towards him but froze as I saw blood seeping through his white shirt.

In the distance, I could hear a scream coming from somewhere and it took me a second to realize it was coming from me. I felt my body surge forward as I ran towards him. My hand instantly reached out to where I could see the blood was coming from to apply pressure on it.

It was like they showed in movies, it felt like I had watched and moved in slow motion, and then suddenly, the ringing in my ears had stopped and everything felt clear again.

"Baby?" I finally spoke and he turned to look at me. For a second his eyes looked vacant and I worried he was going into shock. I put my hand to his face and he seemed to have focus back on me before his legs started to buckle under him.

"Come on baby, let's get you back in the car. You're going to be fine…yup, you're going to be just fine. We'll get you stitched up in no time and you'll be back to bossing people around. You'll see." I tried to stay calm but the panic in my voice was evident.

I moved to position myself under his arm to help support his weight on me so we could walk back to the car. He helped me as much as he could and I felt stronger than usual but that was probably from the adrenaline.

Thank god our car was still on top of Hunter's and we didn't have to go far as my arms were starting to shake. I maneuvered us around to the passenger side and helped ease him inside the car. He grunted in pain as he turned his body so he was facing the front and I felt tears beginning to sting my eyes.

"I'm ok baby, it just hurts like a motherfucker. It's not my first time," he rasped as he grimaced in pain again.

"It's the second time you've been hurt because of me," I said and wiped harshly at my face as the tears began to spill.

"And I would take a hundred more for you," he panted out as his eyes began to close.

"No no no baby come on, keep your eyes open for me ok?" I said frantically as I moved to the side door and opened it so I could grab the shawl I used on my arm. I folded it a few times to thicken it and moved back to Edward who had slumped a little in the seat. His breathing was coming out short and fast as I tried to find a way I could wrap the shawl around his waist and try not to move him too much in the process.

"Try to focus on something ok, I need to wrap this around you so we can stop the bleeding a little. Come on baby, grab on to me," I spoke calmly whether it was for my benefit or his, I wasn't sure but he slowly leaned forward and rested against me. I took off his jacket and his shoulder harness and threw it behind his seat, I then quickly reached down and pulled the ankle strap off too. We didn't need any more questions at the hospital if he rocks up looking like he was carrying.

As quickly as I could, I wrapped the fabric around him and he cried out in pain as I tied it and tightened it slightly.

"I'm sorry baby. I promise we'll get you to the hospital as soon as possible," I quickly rushed out.

I stepped back and shut the door. When I turned to walk around the car, it was then I noticed Hunter's body still slumped against his car.

Newfound rage coursed through me as I walked back over to his body. I picked up the gun I had dropped in my rush to Edward and fired a few more rounds into him. Just to make sure he was really dead. The execution shot to his head did the job instantly but you can never be sure about these things. At least that's what I learned from watching old crime movies with Charlie.

I had the urge to punch him but he wouldn't feel it. I leaned in closer to him and grabbed the top of his slimy hair, wrenching his head back so I could look into his face one more time. His beady little eyes were unfocused as I etched his face into memory.

"Rot in hell asshole," I spat out and let go of his head with a shove. He fell to the ground completely and I hoped that whatever wildlife was out here would take care of the rest. We were quite far out from the main road and unless someone were to randomly drive out here, no one would know about this. The bugs can have him for all I care.

I turned back to look at Edward and found him watching me. I felt no remorse for what I had done tonight and I would do it again. The only thing eating up at me is the fact that Edward got hurt.

I looked around to see if there was anything else of ours that may have dropped and picked up Edward's discarded gun before I moved around the car and walked back over to our one. I got in and started the car up again. It rumbled to life and I shifted into reverse. With one more glance towards Edward, who had turned his head towards me now, I kicked my heels off and slammed my foot down on the accelerator.

The cars detached and I did a quick reverse 180, put it back into 5th, and sped back towards the main road.

I kept shooting glances at Edward who was still looking at me, a small smirk playing on his lips as he watched me drive.

"I'm just going to rest my eyes for a bit," he mumbled but I reached out towards him and grabbed his hand in mine, giving it a hard squeeze.

"No baby you need to stay awake. You can't go to sleep Edward. Talk to me please!" My voice rose as his eyes looked heavy and he blinked slowly.

"Come on baby, tell me something," I said as I moved my hand to his leg and gave it a squeeze, removing it only to change gears.

He didn't say anything for a while and I turned to look at him to check if he was still awake. He looked pale but he was still looking at me. I saw him lick his lips before he spoke.

"You did amazingly well tonight Isabella," he praised me and my vision went blurry as more tears pooled in my eyes.

I swiped at them again and let out a small sigh as we finally hit the main road. I accelerated and felt the car fly forward.

"It's going to be ok. Trust me," he rasped out and I glanced over at him and saw that he had closed his eyes. The fabric wrapped around him was coated in blood and had completely changed color. His face was ashen white. I cried out and reached out to shake him but he didn't answer me nor did he open his eyes.

I screamed and hit the steering wheel as I sped down the long road. I was desperate to see the flashing lights or even a car pass me but still, nothing.

I continued to call out his name but I was met with silence. I reached around, trying to locate a pulse or anything to tell me he was still alive and I panicked at how weak his pulse felt under my fingertips.

I held on to his hand and didn't dare let go.

The further I drove the more my tears spilled. I was angry with myself for feeling so weak. He needed me now more than ever. Right now, I needed to be strong for the both of us.

It was the first time I prayed.

I prayed for Edward to be ok. I prayed to be able to see his emerald eyes again, to have him hold me and tell me he loves me.

I vowed to myself I will take us away from here and we can finally relax, maybe even go on a mini-moon. There was even a small part of me that was glad he dropped his phone back at the casino. There will be nothing disturbing us.

I wasn't going to let him out of my sigh.

And I sure as hell wasn't going to lose him.

"Don't you dare make me a widow Edward Anthony! Do you hear me? Don't even think about it! You're stuck with me, I'm not going anywhere," I said out loud and cried out again when I saw lights up ahead.

I was grateful more than ever that Vegas never sleeps.

It took me a further 15 minutes to finally get back into the city limits and I weaved my way through traffic which was thankfully light for this time in the early morning. I punched in the directions to the closest hospital into the car's navigation system and was told I was 0.5 miles away.

I must have broken hundreds of driving laws but I didn't give a fuck. They can destroy my license for all I care. I just needed to get Edward to the hospital.

I quickly pulled up outside UMC, tires screeching as I came to an abrupt stop.

I was glad to see there were paramedics lingering outside as they turned towards us once I stopped the car.

"Please! You have to help him!" I screamed out, my voice was already hoarse.

"Ma'am? What happened?" they rushed over to us and opened the passenger door.

"He was shot," I cried out and watched as they lifted him out of the car and placed him on top of the stretcher. I ran in after them after I snatched my phone from the dashboard.

They asked me questions and I told them as much as I knew I could and begged them to help him. They started compressions as they wheeled him towards the surgical unit. The was a nurse trying to ask me what my relationship was to him.

"I'm his wife," I mumbled as I watched them take him beyond a set of double doors I was restricted from entering.

"I need you to fill out some paperwork. Come, you can sit here. He's in good hands now," she wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I hissed as she pressed into my injured arm. She jumped back and looked at me before her eyes darted to my arm.

"Are you bleeding from anywhere else Mrs…" she trailed off

"Cullen," I mumbled.

"Mrs. Cullen, have you got any other injuries?" the nurse rushed out.

"No, not my blood," I mumbled again as I watched the double doors they took him through.

"Let's have a look shall we?" she gently led me over to the plastic-covered seats and helped me sit down. My legs felt like concrete as all the adrenaline started leaving my body. I sat stock-still as she moved around me. She luckily didn't ask me any questions and I was thankful for the peace and quiet, well as quiet as a hospital could be.

I felt like I was running out of air as the realization of what has happened finally sunk in.

"Mrs. Cullen?"

"Bella," I gently said.

"Bella, is there someone you can call?" she softly asked and waited patiently as it finally registered what she had said.

"Erm, yes…yeah," I stammered out and turned my phone over in my hand. There was blood smeared into it and it was the first time I noticed the blood on my hands. A new round of tears started streaking down my face at the sight of Edward's blood on my hands. She gently took my phone out of and cleaned it. Once she was done with it, she set it beside me and took hold of my hands and proceeded to wipe them clean too.

I was so lost in my own head I didn't realize she had left me alone. I stood up and grabbed the phone next to me and dialed the one number I knew would pick up.

"Isa?" he said

"Carlisle," I cried out.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Where are you? Are you ok? Where's Edward?" he sounded more awake now and I cried louder.

"Please, I need you," I cried into the phone and slumped down against the wall.

"Isabella where are you?" he sounded calm which was what I needed. I needed his calm right now.

"University Medical Centre," I said and hiccupped as another sob escaped me.

"We're coming." Was all he said before the line went dead.

I wasn't sure how they were going to get here or how long it will take them to get here but I didn't care. I will wait as long as I have to. It wasn't like I was going anywhere.

My next call was to Emmett.

"Bella? What's wrong?" he answered instantly.

"I'm at the hospital, Edward…he was shot…Hunter," I managed to somehow get my words out and I heard him rustling in the background and I could also hear Rose ask what's going on.

"Where are you?" he asked and I told him the hospital we were at. He promised to be there in no time.

I don't know how long I sat on the hospital floor. Every part of my body was aching and I felt like I couldn't breathe without Edward beside me. Every time someone stepped through the double doors, the only thing they could tell me was he was still in surgery.

I didn't even realize Rose and Emmett got here until Rose crouched down in front of me and gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

I was surprised I could still produce any more tears as I started crying as soon as she wrapped her arms around me.

She stood up again and held her hand out to me. I held on to her for dear life and hoisted myself off the floor. My legs felt weak as she walked us over to the chairs and helped me sit down.

Emmett walked over and crouched in front of me. He took hold of my hands.

"What happened?" he asked and so I told him.

I told them about the phone calls Edward received earlier today with updates of Hunter's whereabouts. I told them that it was my idea not to tell the rest of them about what we had planned for tonight. I told them about Hunter being at our hotel. I told them about the car chase and I told them about the shooting.

They had thankfully stayed quiet throughout my retelling of the story.

But once I had finished, Emmett let me have it.

"Fuck Bella! Do you realize how stupid that was? Hunter was a fucking unpredictable maniac! I don't even think he remembers what it feels like to not have drugs in his system! Fuck Bella! This could have ended so much worse! What were you thinking?" he continued to say.

I couldn't even look at him as he continued to rant. It wasn't until Rose asked him to calm down that he finally stopped. He grabbed hold of my hands and pulled me up, wrapping his beefy arms around me and hugging me to him.

"He's going to be ok, trust me," more tears spilled as he said pretty much the same thing Edward told me before he passed out.

I don't know how long I sobbed in his arms before I felt a different set of arms engulf me. I was sandwiched between Rose and Emmett and it felt good to have someone around me.

"What happened to your arm?" Rose asked as we sat back down.

"One of Hunter's bullet's grazed me," I said and heard her gasp.

"You're one badass chick, Isabella Cullen," she joked trying to lighten the mood and managed to coax a smile out of me.

"Little Bean will have the coolest godmother that's ever been!" Emmett bellowed and I turned to gape at him.

"Godmother?" I asked in shock.

"Hell yeah, we want you and Ed to be godparents to our little one. And then Jasper and Alice for the next one," he simply said like it was no big deal.

I turned to look at Rose who was crying along with me and slowly nodding in confirmation.

"Oh my god, you guys I can't believe this!" I exclaimed and turned to hug both of them.

"Isa?" I suddenly heard.

I shot off that chair instantly and flew into Carlisle's open arms.

"Dad," I cried out and felt him run his hand down my hair as he tried to calm me.

He was definitely another father figure in my life and seeing as he saw me as a daughter, it felt right to call him that. He has been watching over me my whole life it seems.

"What happened?" he asked but I shook my head, I couldn't tell the story all over again and I was glad when Emmett stepped in.

Carlisle continued to hold me as I breathed him in. He and Edward wore the same cologne, even though it was breaking my heart all over again smelling it, it also calmed me.

He didn't shout at me or tell me off which I was grateful for. I felt him kiss the top of my head and reassure me everything will be ok. I held on to that hope every time someone would say it, but until the doctor tells me I can go in and see him, I won't know for sure.

I moved back a little and noticed that Esme was standing by the entrance, tears were streaming down her beautiful face as she looked at us. That of course set mine off and she instantly moved towards us. Her motherly presence was like a calming blanket as she fretted over me. She asked me if I was ok and if the blood on my dress was mine. She asked what happened to my arm. She asked if anyone has told me what's going on and she asked if I wanted a change of clothes.

"I'm ok as I can be, it feels like there's a hole in my heart though. Some of it may be mine I don't know but I think most of it is…is erm…most of it is Ed-Edward's," I could hardly say his name without wanting to crumble to the floor.

"My arm is fine and I haven't heard from anyone since Rose and Em got here, not like they told me much before that anyway, just that he was still in surgery. And yes, I'd love to get out of this dress," I finally said as she lovingly held my face in her hands.

"Where are your shoes sweetheart?" she asked. I looked down and only now realized I was barefoot.

"They're back inside the car, I couldn't drive in the heels I was wearing," I simply said.

She was about to say something else but the double doors opened and a man in bloody scrubs stepped through.

"Mrs. Cullen?" both Esme and I stepped forward.

"Yes?" I said quietly.

"Surgery went well, luckily the bullet only grazed his liver and hasn't caused any other damage. He did however lose a lot of blood so it took as a while to fill him back up so to speak. He's stable and you can go see him." He nodded at all of us and moved back to the double doors, holding them open for me.

I turned to look at his parents who were nodding at me encouragingly.

"Go ahead Isa, we'll be in there shortly," Carlisle said and then gave me another nod.

I quickly followed the doctor and he led me towards a post-surgery unit. We walked up to a door with a small round window on it and he motioned for me to go ahead.

With a shaky breath, I opened the door and gasped at the sight before me. Edward lay on a white hospital bed, his skin still looking ashy white and there were tubes going in and round his body. Machines surrounded him and there was a rhythmic beeping sound coming from one of them.

I turned back towards the doctor.

"He's on heavy medication at the moment so he won't wake for another couple of hours. We've hooked him up to check his BP and also giving him extra oxygen so his body doesn't have to work so much whilst he recovers. I can assure you he isn't in any pain. Take as long as you need, there's a remote by the bed in case you need to buzz for anything," he gave me a reassuring smile and stepped out of the room, leaving me with Edward.

I softly padded over to him on the cold linoleum floor. I took another shaky breath as I neared closer to him, he looked so peaceful as his long lashes rested along with his defined cheekbones. A wrenching sob escaped me and I gently ran my hand through his hair and down his sculpted face.

I quickly looked around and spotted a chair by the window, I walked over to it and moved it beside his bed. I gingerly sat down and took his hand in mine, resting my forehead on the edge of the hospital bed. The rhythmic beeping coming from the machine was calming. It let me know that he was still alive and still breathing.

Everything _was_ ok.

I don't know how long I sat in the same position but I jumped when I heard the room door open. I looked up and found both Carlisle and Esme at the door, asking if it was ok to come in.

"Of course," my voice was hoarse as I responded.

Esme walked over to my side whilst Carlisle took the other, both of them placing a hand on their son. I noticed how red both of their eyes were and I wanted to ask but there was no need. I knew they had cried for their son.

It felt like I have been going over today in my head for hours. Thinking about things I could have done differently. Thinking about how it was a mistake to not get at least Emmett involved. We should have traveled out here with security in tow. If we had done any of these things, he probably wouldn't be lying here, in a hospital bed, plugged into machines.

I jumped once more as Esme placed her hand on my back and gently stroked it.

"I brought you a change of clothes," she whispered and it was only then that I realized she had a bag with her.

"Thank you," I croaked out as I brought Edward's hand up to my lips and just held it there. His skin smelled clinical and I just couldn't wait for him to get out of here.

"Why don't you use the bathroom and get changed, sweetie? We'll be right here with him," she encouraged. I simply nodded at her and winced as I got up. The position I've been in made my back sore.

I gently took the bag from her and walked into the built-in bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind me. I let out a huge breath and proceeded to get changed. I have no idea how or where she got these clothes from but I was glad to peel the blood-stained dress off me.

I slowly slipped on the pair of black legging and pulled an oversized sweatshirt over my body. I gasped as Edward's scent assaulted me and brought it up to my face so I could lose myself in his smell. My eyes watered but didn't spill over. I finally took a look at myself in the mirror and noticed I had a few spots of blood on my face. I ran the tap and slowly cleaned myself up, scrubbing my hands under the hot tap until they were red.

I tried to tame my hair as best as I could and eventually gave up on it. I slipped on a pair of sneakers and walked back out into the room.

Esme and Carlisle were holding each other as they looked over their son, both of them smiled warmly at me as I made my way back to my spot. I placed the bag down beside me and took Edward's hand in mine again.

I let out another sigh and quickly turned to one of the monitors as it began beeping faster. At the same time, I felt Edward's hand gently squeeze mine. I quickly shot off the chair and leaned in closer to him. I watched as his eyes fluttered open slightly before they closed again. I let out a small cry as he finally opened his eyes and turned to me.

They were so bright, he searched my face and groaned slightly before one of his famous smirks graced his lips.

"Baby?" I said quietly and he smiled in return.

"Didn't think I'd go to heaven with the amount of shit I've done in my life, but you're as beautiful as ever. I fucking told you you were an angel," he slurred slightly and huffed out a small laugh.

I actually laughed a little and heard his parents laugh along with me. Edward whipped his head in their direction and scoffed.

"Now I definitely know it's bullshit. Dad, they would never let you up here," he teased them and closed his eyes again, sighing in contentment.

I couldn't even describe what I was feeling right now.

"Baby, you're not in heaven, you're at the hospital," I said softly, stroking his face gently as he nuzzled into my hand.

"I'm going to need my sponge bath, Nurse Swan," that smirk was back and Carlisle let out a loud laugh.

"Shut up old man and get out. Things are about to get frisky up in here," I stifled my laugh as he gyrated his hips slightly which only made Carlisle laugh more.

"Ow it hurts," he gasped out and then groaned.

"This isn't what it's supposed to be like!" he whined and I quickly pressed on the call button to get the nurse in.

A male nurse poked his head through before stepping in.

"Mr. Cullen, glad to see you're awake. Let me page Dr. Maddison for you. Your sister hasn't left your side, you're lucky to have such a supportive family," the nurse said and I quirked my eyebrow up at him.

"If she was my sister then the thing I do to her body would be illegal," Edward scoffed and my cheeks turned red with embarrassment.

"Edward!" Esme gasped but Edward just laughed and then groaned again.

"I'm his wife," I clarified to the shocked nurse.

"Damn right you are baby! I can't tell, but if that fucker is checking you out, you better tell him I'll gauge his eyes out once I can see clearly," Edward threatened.

I didn't hold back my laughter as the nurse turned his gaze away from me and mumbled something about paging the doctor before quickly stepping out of the room.

I turned back to Edward and found him watching me.

"How do you feel?" I asked as I couldn't look at him enough.

"I feel fine, although the pain in my side hurts like a motherfucker. The fact that I can see 2 of you doesn't help either but I'm finding it hard to not think about a threesome with you and the other you," he grumped.

My god what have they drugged him with? It was like he had no filter.

"Baby, your parents are still here," I said between laughing and willing my blush away. Esme stepped closer and leaned down to kiss Edward's forehead whilst Carlisle placed a hand on his leg.

"Mom, you're killing my boner, I'm trying to get a little somethin' somethin' here," he whined. Esme luckily just laughed it off and continued to pepper kisses on his forehead like he was a little boy.

"Hey, Romeo, it might take a while before you can actually get a boner son," Carlisle piped in and I nearly chocked as I gasped in surprise.

"Well shit. I'm sorry baby, I guess you'll just have to sit on my face," Edward said and tried to wiggle his eyebrows suggestively. I laughed again and reached up to kiss him.

It felt like I had waited so long to do this, I didn't want to move away. But I sat back down once the doctor came in.

He checked Edward's vitals and told us everything looks great and everything is going in the right direction. He informed Edward that if the pain reaches an unbearable point, to press on a button and it will automatically administer more pain medication. The doctor laughed along as Edward continued to have no verbal filter and confirmed that it is forbidden to have intercourse whilst at the hospital. Edward then informed him that he was pretty sure the doctors and nurses at this hospital were more than likely playing...Doctors and Nurses, in the supply closets. Dr. Maddison didn't confirm or deny it which made the rest of us laugh along with Edward.

He told Edward his vision will clear up soon and that it was just a side effect from the medication they have put him on and the anesthetic for when he went under. Edward told us he felt very sleepy and his words slurred even more before he gently closed his eyes and his breathing evened out.

"Is he going to be ok?" I had finally asked before the doctor left us again.

"He's going to be absolutely fine. Shortly, we'll take him into one of our private suits as requested by Mr. Cullen here, as we'd like him to stay with us for a couple more days, just for monitoring purposes," he gave me a reassuring smile and left us alone with Edward once again.

"Thank you for sorting that out Carlisle, I didn't even think about any of that, I was so focused on him getting out of surgery…I just," I trailed off, not really knowing what else to say.

"No need to thank me, sweetheart. You've done amazingly well getting him here. If it wasn't for the shot you had to take, we don't know what could have happened. I'm sure everyone has already told you how…unstable James was," he was probably the only person to call him by his first name.

"Yeah, I'm well aware. He was all strung up on god knows what tonight," I mumbled as I rested my head on Edward's chest, half laying on him and half perched up on the chair.

"You look exhausted, why don't you come back to the hotel with us? Edward will be knocked out most of the night," Esme asked but I was already shaking my head.

"I'm not leaving him," I said and she was about to say something else but I spoke again "I can't," I sobbed out as what I assume was the last of my tears ran down my face.

"Oh baby girl," she gushed and walked around the bed towards me, engulfing me in her arms.

I cried on her shoulder as she held me, needing that motherly support now more than ever. It made me miss my own mom but knowing my parents, all I'd get is grief for putting myself in danger for the man I love.

It was only half an hour later when the porters came in followed by the same male nurse and wheeled Edward out of the post-op room and into the private suite they had on their top floor.

The three of us quietly followed behind them, with both of his parent's arms wrapped around me, helping me, supporting me.

The private suite was lavish and the whole east wall was just window. The blinds were drawn shut and the light inside the room was dimmed low. It had warm creamy tones, nothing compared to the harsh white that was in the room he was in before.

The nurse checked on his vitals and made sure he was hooked up once again and then informed me there was a pull-out bed in this room as requested. When I turned to look at Carlisle, he just winked at me and didn't say anything else.

I stood by Edward's head and gently stroked his hair, glad to see the color in his face was coming back.

"We'll be back in the morning ok? Try and get some sleep and just a warning, Edward is a terrible patient so try not to smother him with his pillow and call me if you'll need a break," Esme said with a teasing smile on her face.

I thanked them both once again and we said our goodbyes.

I breathed another sigh of relief and proceeded to pull the two-seater closer to Edward. I wanted to be able to reach him from where I was. I took out a pillow and a blanket from a small dresser that was in the room and got comfortable.

I kissed Edward goodnight and took hold of his hand before closing my eyes and letting sleep overtake me.


	37. Chapter 37

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 37**

The next day had been relatively quiet. Edward was constantly in and out of sleep but more coherent when he was awake. He still cracked a joke here and there but nothing like the night before. The color in his face has returned and he looked a lot better than what he did earlier. Emmett and Rose had visited and stayed with me for a few hours whilst I changed and ate something.

Emmett informed me he took care of the car as well as the guns inside it. I had completely forgotten about it all until he mentioned it. He also told me that because Edward's injury was a gunshot, the hospital is required to inform the police. Due to the shooting starting at the Casino, we were using that as our cover story with the doctors here as well as the police if they come knocking. They were still busy figuring out what went down that night but I was positive they will see Edward and I running after Hunter whilst everyone else tried to run away.

Emmett reassured me that Carlisle has a handle on it. Peter knows people that can bury any leads about us at the bottom of the pile. They have a room full of gamblers to question what went down that night. We will be far from Vegas by the time they get to us…if they get to us.

I physically had to pinch myself to make sure none of this was a dream. Considering the career path my father had chosen for me, it should go against every part of my being to be glad our involvement in the shooting is getting buried.

Edward wanted to be informed about everything that was going on which didn't improve his mood being stuck in the hospital.

He, of course, complained about the hospital food, the hospital bed, and even the private room he was in. He complained about the smell, the constant beeping of the machine, and the hourly interruptions from the nurses whenever he tried to cop a feel of my ass. It was like they could sense it every time he'd reach out for me.

The nurses were a whole different story altogether. Every time a nurse came in, it would be a different one. They were all weirdly done up, smelling nice, their hair immaculate and their bedside manner sickly sweet and attentive. If one more fucking nurse laid her hand on my husband and if I had to hear one more girly laugh when he didn't even say anything funny, I was going to shoot all of them and spring him out of here myself.

It was like they were in heat.

I had just stepped out to take a quick call from Siobhan and one of the nurses with big boobs sneaked in behind me whilst Edward was asleep. When I came back into the room, she had her slimy hands all over him, molesting him in his sleep and claiming he needed a sponge bath. It was only when my voice started rising that Edward woke up from his beauty sleep and watched us like a tennis match. Once the doctor made an appearance and asked what the fuck was going on –well not in such colorful words- did I proceed to tell him that his nurses were incompetent and I was going to file a sexual harassment suit if they carried on putting their hands on Edward whilst he was asleep or otherwise.

I was pretty sure steam was coming out of my ears and when the good doctor didn't look like he believed me, I snatched the chart out of the nurse's hand and pointed out the number of different nurses that had come in in the space of a couple of hours for nothing more than to gawk at my husband.

He reassured me he will speak to the nurses and walked out of the room with his tail between his legs and Nurse Big Boobs following after him.

Edward then proceeded to tell me how turned on he is from watching me handle the nurse and his tented bed sheet confirmed it. He was more than happy seeing his dick was still working and claimed Carlisle was a "fucking liar".

When his parents came in to visit, Edward was once again asleep. I envied him in those moments, I'd give anything to be able to peacefully shut my eyes for just a few hours. My nightmares were out of this world whenever I succumbed to sleep. They ranged from Edward being shot and bleeding out on me in the desert to me being shot and Hunter getting away. Each one was more painful than the last.

It was only when Dr. Maddison came in to see us did he ask me if I had wanted something to help me sleep. I had politely declined and gave Edward the stink eye when he tried to speak for me.

I wanted to be alert and not dosed up on drugs in case something was to happen to him. I didn't trust anyone else to look after him. I had made my vows and I was going to stick to them come hell or high water. I was more than happy to put his needs before mine. I will sleep when we get back home.

* * *

He was finally being released today and he is extremely lucky I haven't killed him. Esme was right to say he is a terrible patient. That's actually an understatement.

The whining turned to scowls and then grunts. He was sneering at everyone who told him he was doing great and will be out of here sooner than planned.

Well apparently, it isn't soon enough for my husband.

I was also being snappy with everyone due to my lack of sleep. I very nearly told the doctor I will shove the sleeping tablets up his own ass if he didn't stop trying to make me take them. Once the doctor left, Edward and I had our own screaming match. I had called Esme in front of him and asked her to come and look after her son because I needed a breather. It took her less than 10 minutes to get here and as soon as she stepped into the room, I was out that door without a second glance.

Not even when he called my name out.

Due to us being on the top floor, the fire escape had stairs leading to the helipad they had on the roof. No one followed me up there so I sneaked out. The sun was high up and it was quiet. I just wanted to step out and take in some fresh air. The hospital smell was starting to give me a headache.

I walked over to the edge of the building and rested my elbows on the railing, hanging my head down as I tried to calm my breathing. It was only when a sob wrecked through my body did I crumble down to the ground. I brought my knees up to my chest and cried.

In my head, I knew he was fine, and that he was on the mend, but the guilt I felt…that guilt was eating me up. Over and over I kept trying to imagine the different ways we could have approached this. The different ways this could have ended if I didn't try and pretend like I knew what the fuck I was doing. I tried to pretend that I was like him, that I could also do the things he does. I thought I felt indifference for Hunter's death but truth be told, I think it's eating me up.

But would I do it again to save Edward? Without a second thought. And this is where I can't get a handle of what I feel or what I'm supposed to feel.

"The first time Esme shot a man, she wouldn't even let me touch her. I'd find her in a steaming shower, scrubbing her skin raw trying to wash it away from her. To this day I don't think she's ever fully gotten over it. She hides it well, but the nightmares…they're not as regular as they used to be but they're still pretty bad to witness. The night we left you and Edward at the hospital, they came back in full force." Carlisle was dressed in a suit as he sat down beside me, wrapping his arm around me.

"You saved his life Isa, there can never be anything wrong with that. Hell, the amount of jobs I wish I could go back and change the way I handled them is a mile long. You can't beat yourself about what's already happened. I know my son can be frustrating and he doesn't always know the best way to voice the storm that is inside his head, but…talk to him Isa. Don't hold this shit in," he said and kissed the side of my head.

"You're too beautiful to cry, sweetheart. You two will get back home and things will be different. I'm not saying he will retire his gun collection, or lessen the security around you but he will be able to relax more knowing that the main threat is gone. Don't give up on him," he continued on to say.

"I could never give up on him. He's a part of me now. I'm just so scared dad. What if I had been too late to get him here? What if Hunter's bullet had caused more damage? What if we'd never met?" just uttering those words pierced my heart. I really couldn't imagine not knowing Edward.

"Oh sweetheart, please don't ever think that. You're the best thing that's ever happened to my son and he loves you more than his own life. Esme and I see such a huge change in him since he's met you. You're the other piece of him, he wouldn't be whole without you, please tell me you know that?" Carlisle's arm tightened around me and I cried more at the sincerity in his voice.

"All I want is to get him home," I said and laid my head on his shoulder. It was comforting to have him here with me. He seemed to know what I was going through and yet again, there was no hint of judging from him. He hasn't blamed me for what has happened the other night.

"Can I ask you something?" I said, not sure why I didn't ask this earlier.

"Anything," he said.

"How did you and Esme get here so quickly?" They arrived shortly after Em and Rose did, we hardly sat in the waiting room for more than half-hour before they turned up and I called Emmett as soon as I spoke to Carlisle.

"We were already in Vegas when you called. Jasper had called us, told us he wanted to see us before they go on their honeymoon. He said something doesn't feel right and so we met up with them at the airport. We were with Emmett and Rosalie when they met with Peter and Charlotte. They told us the two of you looked like you wanted to spend some time alone so we left you guys to it." Was his simple response. I nodded in acknowledgment and we continued to sit there for a while longer before his phone buzzed.

I read over the text he received from Esme saying that the doctor was here to discharge Edward.

He stood up and held out his hand for me and helped me to my feet. He reached up and wiped my tears away and kissed my forehead before leading me back towards the rooftop door.

"How did Esme deal with it?" I suddenly asked.

"She had Edward," was his reply and I noticed the way his lips curved into a smile at my sudden intake of breath.

"We're not-" I tried to say.

"I know. You'll both know when the time is right. Right now you've got a bigger baby on your hands," he laughed as he held the door open for me back on the private suite floor.

I walked straight in and found Dr. Maddison, Nurse Big Boobs, and Esme standing by the foot of Edward's bed. I watched as his shoulders sagged in relief when he saw me walk in and I timidly walked over to him and grabbed his outstretched hand. He linked our fingers together and brought my hand up to his lips.

"Angel?" he asked.

"I'm okay baby. Let see what the doctor has to say," I leaned down to kiss him and released a long breath once we pulled apart. Just being near him seemed to have calmed me.

"Well Edward, it looks like you're good to go. You're healing well and I must express how important it is you do not do any extraneous activities so you do not rip your stitches out. Please limit your physical activity and I must advise avoiding alcohol due to the medication you are currently on. I have a prescription for you that you can collect on your way out so please stick to the advised instructions. Please don't hesitate to give me a call if you come across any complications. Have you got any questions for me?" the Doc looked from Edward to me.

"Is he ok to fly?"

"When can we have sex again?"

We both spoke at the same time.

There was a moment of silence before Carlisle burst out laughing and Esme's tinkling laughter followed. Dr. Maddison was lost for words and Nurse Big Boobs couldn't lift her jaw off from the floor quick enough.

"Yes, he's ok to fly. Sex only after your stitches come out," there was a slight smirk on Dr. Maddison's face as he looked at us.

"Newlyweds?" he then asked.

"Yeah," I said with a smile, cursing the blush that covered my face. I don't know what has happened to me. I'm not the type of person to blush easily and I hardly ever get embarrassed but something within me has changed.

"If there aren't any more questions, I don't see why you can't spring him out of here. Please just take it easy, Edward, okay?" Dr. Maddison said sincerely, gave us another nod, and then left us to it.

Carlisle helped me get Edward out of bed and I couldn't help but worry when he winced slightly once he stood straight.

"You ok?" I asked as I rubbed my hand up and down his back.

"Yeah, the stitches are just pulling slightly. I'm fine angel I promise," he said and leaned in to kiss my temple.

"I really need to piss," he then said and stepped away from Carlisle, walking towards the bathroom. I stayed by his side and helped him, not wanting to let go.

"You plan to hold it for me too baby?" he teased. I laughed and swatted him on the ass before closing the door behind us.

"In sickness and in health Mr. Cullen," I quietly said and moved around the small bathroom collecting some of the toiletries Esme and Rose brought me whilst he took care of business. He slowly walked over to the basin and washed his hands, splashing some water on his face and hanging his head as his hands rested on the counter.

The small room was charged with tension as we didn't say anything to one another. My body was humming from his closeness and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and let our bodies do the talking.

According to Dr. Maddison, that won't be happening for another 10 days.

"Ready?" I asked and his head quickly whipped to look at me, like he'd forgotten I was in the room with him.

His eyes turned black as he looked me over, I watched as his tongue peeked out and wet his lips, my need to claim him growing stronger.

I held his gaze for as long as I could, his intensity growing with each second. I felt my breath catch as he took a step towards me but there was a knock on the door.

"You better not be making non-existent babies in there!" said Carlisle followed by an "ouch" when I assumed Esme hit him.

"Don't stop them if they're making babies Carl!" Came Esme's voice.

I stifled a giggle whilst Edward just groaned, but the smoldering gaze never wavered.

"No one's making babies Ma!" Edward shouted back and then we heard another "ouch" from Carlisle.

"Look what you did!" she said followed by more mumbling but it was harder to make out.

"They're unbelievable," he said, slightly exasperated but with a smile on his face.

"I don't know what I would have done without them, they're the best second parents a girl could wish for," I said and watched mesmerized as his eyes changed into liquid pools of green.

"Isabella,"

"Don't. You know what hearing you say my name like that does to me," I whispered so that his parents wouldn't hear us. My emotions were running on overdrive and my self-control was already wearing thin.

"The day these stitches come out, I don't fucking care where we'll be. I'm claiming back what's mine then and there," he almost snarled.

"Is that a promise?" I fired back.

"You bet your sweet fucking ass it is," he growled back.

His arm shot out and he grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me closer to him. Our lips smashed together, our teeth knocking but we didn't care. I wanted to cry out at finally kissing him the way I've been dreaming for the past few days. I moaned as his tongue plunged into my mouth, claiming me. I didn't want to come up for air, I didn't want for this to end.

* * *

The hotel had informed us our stay was free of charge due to the shooting that had taken place. Edward and I couldn't care less, we were just glad to get back on the private jet and fly home.

We fought on an hourly basis about him taking his pain meds to the point where I threw the damn bottle at his head, the only reason he didn't catch it in time was because he was too surprised I'd actually done it.

No one dared to interfere but those fuckers didn't hold their laughter in either.

It had been one hell of a stressful flight home and don't even get me started on the flight attendant that was assigned to us. There was absolutely no reason for her to come over and ask if the men needed any assistance. If we needed her fucking help, we'd fucking ask for it. I will not sit there and watch as she shoved her tits into Carlisle's face and her ass into Edward's. I couldn't understand how nonchalant Esme was about it all. I was spitting feathers and Rose was no better either. But that little bitch was scared of the preggo lady so she mostly left Emmett alone.

Just as I was starting to calm down, she traipsed back in offering blankets and to fluff the damn cushions. My eyes quickly shot to Rose who just smirked at me and winked, quickly telling me she's got my back.

She didn't even dare look at me as she approached Edward and I. Her main focus was, of course, my husband. What pleased me to no end was the fact that he was smart enough not to entertain her, knowing full well I would shove my high heel so far up his ass, he could lick the sole.

"Mr. Cullen, is there _anything _I can get for you? Would you be more comfortable in the cabin bedroom?" chicks like her were the reason I didn't trust women.

"Come round here one more time and I swear I will throw you off this private plane faster than you can say peanuts," I growled out.

"No, Mr. Cullen doesn't need a drink. No, Mr. Cullen doesn't want any inflight snacks. No, Mr. Cullen doesn't want a blanket. No, Mr. Cullen doesn't need to have your ass shoved in his face! Have some fucking respect and stop behaving like a slut. All these men here are spoken for so do yourself and us a favor and back the fuck away. If we need your help, we'll fucking ask for it!" I seethed. I was pretty sure the fine leather under my fingertips was ripping at the seams with the way I was gripping the armrest.

"I'm sorry Miss-" she tried to say.

"Mrs. Cullen. As I said, they're all spoken for." I said through gritted teeth.

With a quick nod, she scurried away from us and closed the curtain that separated our cabin from her area.

I downed the last bit of scotch I had in my glass and slammed it down on the tray table. No one had said a word for some time before I watched Edward unbuckle his seatbelt and stand up. He held his hand out for me to take and I did so without a second thought. He led me to the back of the plane where the private bedroom was and closed the door behind us. There was little to no room to move about in so I got on the bed and scooted up towards the headboard.

I laid down and stared up at the ceiling, my breathing still coming out in quick pants. I momentarily closed my eyes and felt the bed dip beside me. I felt kisses all over my face and I hummed when they traveled down to my neck.

I didn't speak. I just let myself enjoy having his lips on me. He was the only person that could calm me down from throwing the flight attendant off the plane and make my heart race with excitement at the same time.

"Do you know how incredibly hot it is to watch you handle her like that? She doesn't hold a candle to you angel, everything about her is fake and her perfume was making my nose itch. But to watch your eyes burn with anger…it gives me a rush. You claiming me in front of everyone makes me want to do imaginable things to you," he whispers as his hand begins to travel down my body. Through the valley between my breast, down to my stomach, and finally between my legs.

I once again hum in appreciation and my hips buck up to his hand so I could get more pressure against my throbbing clit.

"Edward," I moan.

"Shh Mrs. Cullen, you don't want them to hear you," he says against my lips before he runs his tongue along my bottom lip and his hand slides under my dress.

I was positive he could feel how wet my panties were as I felt him groan against me when his fingers slipped inside and through my wet folds. I bent my legs and spread them wider, the dress riding up in the process. His fingers easily slipped inside me and I bit down on his lip to stop me from crying out in pleasure.

He proceeded to leisurely work me into a frenzy and all I could do was writhe against his hand and muffle my moans into his mouth. I could feel his erection trapped between us and I wanted more than anything to reach out and grab it. Every time I moved towards him he'd pull away though, making me yearn for him.

His fingers pumped in and out of me, edging me closer and closer to my release. It felt like it had been too long since I've had his hands on me, my body was desperate for the release they would bring.

"God I've missed that pussy. Missed the way it squeezes me as you near your release," he continued to whisper against me.

The hand that wasn't trapped between us fisted the sheets after one more pump from his fingers and one more swipe of his thumb against my clit, I came apart, biting his shoulder in a silent cry. My breath was rushing out of me in quick pants as I tried to settle my beating heart but it was no use as he didn't relent his ministrations. He merely slowed down and helped me ride out my orgasm but didn't stop. It seems like we were going for seconds.

"I just need one more baby…one more," he quietly groaned out, resting his forehead on my chest whilst his movements sped up. It, of course, didn't take long for me to come again, it never does and he knows it. He knows just what I like and how I like it.

Without me having to say anything, he knew what I needed. He took care of my needs even though we both knew he needed his release too. His desire to bring me pleasure made me love him more.

After coming down from my high the second time, we continued to lay there on the bed. Edward was on his side turned towards me whilst I laid on my back. Our fingers were intertwined as they rested on my stomach. I felt so relaxed, I could have easily drifted off to sleep just lying here with him.

"I'm scared, Edward," I whispered.

"What are you scare of?" he asked and propped his head on his hand as he looked down at me.

"I'm scared what I did will change me, that it has changed me. I'm scared it will change us. I'm scared you will eventually look at me differently. I'm scared of the nightmares. I'm scared my need to do it again will never go away," I was ashamed to admit the last part.

I couldn't shake the desire to work alongside Edward. To learn everything there is to learn about what he does, the people he deals with, or what's in store for our future. I wanted the be part of this life till the day I die. I don't want to be some little housewife that sits at home waiting for her husband to return with dinner on the table. I don't want to be oblivious to what he does. I don't want to turn a blind eye and not ask questions.

"Isabella," he said and I was sure my eyes turned dark. "You wouldn't be human if it didn't change you in some way, but that change doesn't have to be a bad thing. It will change us, it has changed us. It has helped me see how strong you are, how capable you are. I will never forget what you have done for me. I will always remember the night we met and even with all that we've been through, I could never see you differently from when I did that night. I continue to see that fire within you, that drive. Nothing has changed that. The nightmares will pass, I promise, and that's experience talking. I will always be there to help you through them. There's nothing wrong with asking for help." He stopped there and I wondered whether he will say anything about my last statement.

I wanted to look away, suddenly ashamed of admitting what I'd said. But his eyes held me captive.

"I'm going to need you to explain the last part because from what I'm gathering, you want to do what I do…" he said softly.

"Yes."

"Angel-" he said and I could see he was going to try and talk me out of it.

"No, just hear me out, please. I want to learn Edward. I want to learn everything possible about what you do. No one ever tells you about the rush from firing a gun, from commanding it to do what you want it to do. No one ever tells you the pleasure of holding something like that, the feel of the cold and heavy metal in your palm, the way it molds in your hand, the respect you have to give it. I want that feeling, I crave it. I feel like I owe you. I messed up," I proclaimed. I wasn't sure what his reaction was going to be because he simply looked at me and I couldn't quite read the expression on his face.

"You don't owe me shit Bella! You did something I was too slow to do. You took care of our problem and you took care of me. I should be on my fucking knees kissing your feet and forever be in your debt. You didn't mess up angel. Maybe I should have gone about it differently, but that shit is done, it's behind us now. There's no longer a sword hanging over our heads. The only thing we'll have to deal with is the police because they will eventually come knocking. Surprisingly there are still clean and decent cops out there who can't be bought. We have a story we need to stick to and they won't be able to charge us with shit." He said, his tone softening at the end.

"What happens if someone finds the body?" I ask.

"It's been taken care of. He's going to rot in the dirt and no one will ever find him," he said confidently.

"As for you learning what I do…let me think about it. This isn't the life I wanted you to have. I wouldn't dare force you to do any of it. I'm scared you'll come to hate me," his voice was so quiet as he confessed his own worries.

"I could never and will never hate you, Edward, please tell you me you know that!" I rushed to say, cupping his face, hoping to wipe away the uncertainty in his eye.

"Think it over ok? I will do anything you ask of me. If you truly think this is a bad idea then I trust you," I softly said, accepting the fact I'm probably rushing into it all.

He slowly leaned down and gently kissed me, both of us humming in content as our lips touched. I would never get enough of his soft lips. As always, sweet and gentle turned rushed and needy as the kiss deepened. I lifted myself up and placed my hand on his shoulder and lightly pushed so he'd lay on his back without breaking our kiss. I wanted to throw my leg over and straddle him but I was too wary of his injury and where it was placed as my knee would be resting right on it. The last thing I wanted was to cause him any more pain.

Once he slowly settled himself on his back, my hands started to wander down his body as our tongues caressed. When my hand landed on the bulge he was supporting, I smiled at his quick intake of breath. He wrapped his fingers in my hair and brought my head closer, deepening the kiss even more.

I palmed his erection and as his hips continued to thrust into my hand, I couldn't hold in the need to free his cock and touch him properly any longer.

The sound of me lowering his zipper sounded loud and clear in our confined little space but that only seemed to have spurred us on more. Once his jeans were undone, I slipped my hand inside his boxer briefs and moaned at the feel of him. The soft and warm skin made my body tingle in the most amazing way. He felt nice and heavy in my hand and all I wanted now was to feel it inside my mouth.

I reluctantly pulled away from Edward's lips and saw as his hooded eyes watched me move down to his hips. I let go of his cock and sat up on my calves so that I could lower his jeans and underwear and get better access to his cock.

He let out a small hiss as my nails lightly dragged along his length before I took him into my hand again.

I leaned down and slowly ran my tongue along his shaft.

"Fuck, Bella," he moaned.

I shot him a wink and wrapped my lips around the head and took him further into my mouth, lapping at the soft and warm skin as I made my way down his shaft.

This flight was definitely improving.


	38. Chapter 38

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 38**

The first day we got back, Edward and I hardly left the bedroom. We were limited to foreplay when it came to pleasure but for the time being, we didn't mind. Plus, the medication Edward was on always made him drowsy so we tried to take it easy. But nothing seemed to have stopped our wondering hands.

The rest of that time, we spent talking and planning our future.

He had been quiet most of the day so I left him to think over the conversation we had on the jet. I was also contemplating what I would do if he said no. It obviously wasn't the end of the world if he decides that it's not a good idea. He obviously knows more about this life than I do. I'm purely going off from what I've seen so far and the things I've witnessed. I'm still learning about the rules that are set out, the code these men, and some women, follow. My intention isn't to step on anyone's toes or suddenly start telling them what to do.

I just want to learn.

We had ordered Chinese for dinner and as I brought it back to the bedroom, Edward had his poker face on as he watched me move around the room. It looked like he was finally ready to talk.

"It smells delicious, I didn't realize how hungry I actually am," he said as he inhaled deeply once I sat down next to him, crossing my legs as I rested against the headboard.

I hummed in agreement and started taking the food out of the bags and handing him his chow mein. My eyes momentarily fixating on the way he handled the chopsticks.

_Is there anything he can't do with those hands?_

I shook my head to clear it and get my head out of the gutter, picturing exactly what those talented digits can do to my body.

"So, I've been thinking," he started off. I turned to face him as I popped a wonton into my mouth, chewing slowly.

"I understand what you're asking of me but I can't do it," he said, gauging my reaction.

"Edward-"

"Just, hear me out. This life isn't for everyone angel. You have more than proved yourself to me and everyone else that you can handle a tough situation, the way you can beautifully handle a gun and that you have my back. But baby, I don't want this life for you. You're so much better than this. I don't want any more blood on your hands. I've had years to come to terms with what I do, what is expected of me. I don't want these things for you. I'm willing to answer any and all questions you may have for me, but I can't let you join me in the jobs that I do. You're too good for it. The nightmares, they'll only get worse. I've already tainted your innocence. I don't want to drag you down further. You're my wife and my equal, but I don't think I'll be able to live with myself if one day you'll wake up to hate me." His tone was even, firm as he held my gaze.

I thought over everything he has said, and like on the jet, I can accept this decision. I did leave the ball in his court regarding this after all.

"Can you at least teach me self-defense?" I asked and saw the way his shoulders sagged in relief that I wasn't fighting him about this.

"If that's what you want then yes, but I don't know if I will be able to do it myself," his eyebrows knitted together as he thought about it.

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't want to hurt you," was his simple answer.

"Are you too scared to have your ass handed to you by a girl?" I teased, wanting to lighten the mood further.

"I don't want to go easy on you and I know that I will because I'll be too worried about actually hurting you. You won't learn anything if I pussyfoot around it. How about Siobhan?" he suggested and I began nodding as soon as her name left his lips.

"It's settled then. We can call her tomorrow and see what we can come up with," he finally smiled at me, happy with the outcome of this talk.

"What the hell am I going to do then?" I asked and popped more food into my mouth as we both sat there quietly.

"Do you still want to help me with the club?" he suddenly asked. His face was actually hopeful.

"Oh my gosh, really? You want to work together?" I ask, excited at the prospect of working with him. Doing something that is actually probably safer.

"I don't see why not. I'd rather you helped me with the more legitimate side of the business and I've been thinking about expanding. Opening more clubs, maybe even a hotel. What do you think?" he sounded excited at the idea.

"That's a great idea baby! Can I fire people?" I ask, feeling giddy with excitement as one name springs to mind.

"Baby steps Mrs. Cullen, baby steps," he says before laughter bubbles out of him, no doubt knowing who I had in mind.

He looks at me lovingly once his laughter dies down and I melt.

_He is everything to me._

* * *

On the second day since we came back, Edward looked more like his old self and had a lot more energy even after we had a late night.

After our talk and once our food craving was sated, we focused on an entirely different craving. We didn't stop until the early hours of the morning. With the fact that we couldn't have actual sex, we had to become more creative.

We got an early morning call from Alice and Jasper, who looked extremely tanned already. They filled us in with all the different activities they have done so far and things they have yet to do. We filled them in with what had happened once Jasper asked Edward why his phone was turned off. I got an earful from both of them until Edward put his foot down and told Jasper to pack it in. They both had a silent conversation whilst Alice looked like she was going to cry.

"Bella," she gently said and I just nodded, knowing exactly what she wasn't saying. I was only now starting to come to terms with it all and I really didn't want to dwell on it any further.

Luckily the call ended on good terms and they promised to send pictures.

"I need a new phone," he said as he reached out for mine and went online to buy the newest iPhone. I groaned as I realized how peaceful it has been without that thing.

"Don't," he playfully growled, knowing how much I hated that fucking phone. He spent a good hour picking the best phone plan and buying all these other gadgets that went along with it. He was like a kid in a candy store. He handed me my phone back once he was done purchasing his new toy and laid back down on the bed, smiling up at the ceiling.

"What are you so happy about?" I grumbled and laughed at a picture Alice had sent through of a penis on Jasper's back she had drawn with sun lotion.

"I'm just happy baby," he finally said and groped my boob whilst I scrolled through the rest of the pictures.

I had to start swatting his hand away when he kept on groping me as I tried to reply to some messages a few of the sorority girls had sent through.

"Edward," I said in a warning and he pouted like a kid who had his favorite toy taken away from him.

"Do you want to swing by the house and get the rest of your things? I realize we haven't actually moved you fully in," he suddenly said as more messages came through.

"Sure, but not today. You still need to rest and I'm not going to let you start carrying shit around when you're not 100% back to your old self. Don't think I don't see the way you still wince if you move too quickly mister," I reprimanded. He just smiled at me and gave me a quick nod.

"Angel, do you mind going into the office and grabbing my laptop?" he gently asked as he repositioned himself on the bed.

"Of course, do you need anything else?" I asked, leaning in to kiss his forehead.

"No, just the laptop. I might as well try and get some work done," I was loving this relaxed Edward. It felt like it's been a while since he looked anything but worried.

I quickly hopped off the bed and walked into his office. He had paperwork strewn all over the desk and the laptop was buried under a realtor's brochure. It looked like he has thought about expanding for some time if he was already looking at what's on the market.

I picked up the laptop and grabbed my own on the way back to the bedroom. When I walked back in, he was on my phone to someone, already working it seems.

* * *

On the third day since we came back, Edward had asked Siobhan to come over. It felt nice to see a fresh face since we came back.

She hadn't given me a lecture like I assumed she would which I was grateful for. She did hug the crap out of me though and told me I was too pretty to get shot at, again.

We were sitting in the living room when she shared a few pieces of information I had wondered about since that night.

"So, you know how Emmett went back to the scene of the crime," she shot me a look before continuing.

"He retrieved James Hunter's phone and I was able to have a look at all his phone calls in more detail. Get straight to the source so to speak. Anyway, the reason Hunter was so interested in his phone that night is the fact that he was waiting for the Romanian goons to help spring him out of Vegas. He was under the illusion he was still under their protection. They had told him they were going to secure a flight out for him but it had to be done under the radar and I believe that is why he had driven so far out outside of the city and into the desert," she concluded.

It made sense, to me anyway. I turned to look at Edward who had a pensive look on his face.

"Do you know who that contact was?" he asked as he leaned forward and winced.

"A Mihai Ionescu, he was Stefan's right-hand man and a cousin twice removed from what I could gather. He's in the game and has been pushing the sex trafficking ring in Miami whilst the brothers focused on Chicago," she said and pulled out a file from her messenger bag, handing it to Edward.

I looked over Edward's shoulder at a picture of a bald man, Caucasian, with a long black beard as he was leaving a Romanian deli, unaware that his picture was taken.

"When was he last seen in Chicago?" Edward asked as he continued to flick through the file and read over the notes from whoever had been tracking him.

"Right after the brothers were taken care of. There's a picture of Hunter and Ionescu arriving at Victoria's place and they were both in there for no longer than 10 minutes," she added.

"Victoria was found dead," she said after a beat.

They both turned to look at me when I gasped in shock. "What happened to the baby?" I suddenly asked. Siobhan's eyes darted over to Edward quickly before she looked back at me and shook her head. I felt an overwhelming sadness come over me at the thought of an innocent baby never coming into this world. A baby that was simply stuck in the middle of it all.

"If only I could bring that sonofabitch back to life and kill him all over again!" I shouted as I sprang off the sofa and started to pace in front of them. My hands shot to my mouth as I suddenly felt sick. I quickly rushed into the bathroom and threw up everything that I had eaten for breakfast.

_What kind of a monster would kill an innocent baby like that? How fucked up do you have to be to kill your own child?_

I retched again as the bathroom door opened and I felt Edward's hands on my back, helping me hold my hair back.

"Easy angel…shhhh…he's gone now…he's gone," he tried to soothe me but I couldn't get the image of Victoria's lifeless body just lying there out of my head. Her protruding stomach was no longer able to keep her baby safe.

"His death was too easy," my tone was cold as the words left my mouth.

"This is why I don't want you to emerge yourself in this life. It's ugly and it's dark," his tone was soft but held an edge to it.

"You're nothing like him! Don't you dare say that the Mob makes you do what he did! That's on him! I have no idea how he was raised but if Carlisle and Hunter's dad were in business together, I can't imagine he was raised any different than you were," I seethed, hating the fact Edward still saw himself as a monster.

Once I had collected myself, and given Edward his pain medication, we walked back into the living room where Siobhan still sat.

"Let me know what you want us to do boss," she said to Edward as she stood up and moved over to me. She hugged me again and reassured me Hunter got what he deserved.

We quickly agreed to get together soon and start on my self-defense classes. She said I can join the class she runs or she can train me one-on-one. Edward said he'd rather we did it one-on-one so that she can focus solely on me. I had no problem with it so I agreed. I told her I'll be in touch when things settle a bit more.

We said our goodbyes and I began getting things ready for dinner, just so I could take my mind off of things. Edward continued to linger around me but eventually excused himself into his office when his new phone wouldn't stop ringing.

I thought the last one was bad, it genuinely was nothing compared to the new one. We may no longer have that sword hanging over our heads, but his men needed him now more than ever it seems.

_I think it's time I set some new rules around here. _

* * *

On the fourth day since we came back, Edward had finally ventured down to the club with me tagging along with him.

We had set up camp in his office so he could go through the initial paperwork with me and allow me to sign a couple of contracts. Assigning me the new manager of Dawn. I showed my appreciation by sinking to my knees and wrapping my lips around his cock whilst he had his ass perched against the edge of his desk.

Memories of what had happened on this desk the night he told me he loves me came crashing through. It was amazing to think how much has happened since then.

It was the middle of the day when Edward had called all the staff in for a meeting. He informed everyone that I will be taking over the managerial aspect of the club and that there will indeed be some changes made around here.

I introduced myself to those I hadn't met before. I couldn't even keep a straight face as I noticed the guy and girl – whose names were Tori and Chad - I had watched sneak into the stock room as they sat at the table next to each other. Edward tried to hold back his laugh as he realized who I was looking at but he skilfully masked it with a cough instead.

I completely ignored Irina who kept shooting daggers at me and scoffing every time I opened my mouth to say something. My patients was wearing extremely thin already and she was a scoff away from being sacked on the spot. I may not have that power yet, but I was banging the club's owner. I was sure I could sweet-talk him into having my way.

Once everybody had been dismissed, Edward and I dry humped on the chair he sat on. He said he couldn't wait to have me and that watching me command the room was a huge turn on for him. It seemed like a lot of the things I did recently have been a turn on for him.

But I was just as hungry for him as he is for me, so there were definitely no complaints from me.

Once we were sated, for the moment anyway, Edward continued to walk me through the club and show me the stock room, tell me the days the new orders came in, and the ins and outs of running the club.

He talked me through the online courses I can take for health and safety regulations and get me my liquor license. He told me all about the company that supplies him with the alcohol and he asked me to tell him if any of them give me a hard time.

I teased him about redecorating the office but he just smiled at me and said I can do whatever I wanted to it. It wasn't the reaction I thought I'd get but he informed me that he trusted his club to run smoothly in my hands and that he was looking forward to sharing his space with me.

I decided that once I get through all the courses I need to take to get certified, I'll broach the subject of getting rid of Irina. Although, there is a part of me that believes it won't take much to convince him.

We had stayed in the club's office whilst he took care of some business and I started on the online courses. I felt excited with the thought of working beside him and I was enjoying sharing this space together. Every time I looked up, he would be watching me, a smile on his handsome face.

_I really needed the next six days to fly by so we could get the all-clear from his doctor._

* * *

On the fifth day since we came back, I put a stop to anything sexual until he gets his stitches out.

Edward had spent most of the day in his office, working on club stuff and _shipments. _

We hardly left the penthouse since we came back, only going down to the club once or twice and only if we really needed to. We stayed cooped up so he could recover better. He still whined like a baby when it came to medication but I had perfected my bitch brow since he got shot, he'd mumble his displeasure but didn't dare say anything else. I lost count the number of times I've threatened to cut him off, but it always seemed to work, as well as flashing him the girls.

I had been reading up on some management books whilst he worked. His office door was open and just hearing him deal with day to day stuff soothed me. I had plans to cook us a nice dinner tonight, it felt like it has been ages since we just did normal. There were rules for dinner time now, he had to turn his phone off. We obviously fought about this but he eventually relented and let me have my way. I wanted to have some sort of a tradition around here and that fucking new phone of his was getting on my last nerve. I told him they had to call me instead if it was really urgent. The first night we rolled this out, I had 30 calls from his men asking the most mundane things possible. I swear they didn't sneeze without telling him. After the first 10, I let them all go to voicemail. He looked like he was going to fight me on this but as soon as I placed my hand high up on his thigh, and gently began to rub it, he soon forgot what he was going to say.

Our dinner was soon forgotten and so were the phone calls. I got off the barstool and took his hand in mine, leading him away from the table and into the bedroom. We were skipping straight to dessert. It was like positive reinforcement if you'd like.

I moved him over to the foot of the bed and gently pushed on his shoulder so he'd sit down. He did so without hesitation. He reached out for me but I quickly stepped back and slowly began stripping for him. I started to leisurely unbutton the check shirt I was wearing and his eyes followed my every move. He placed his hands behind him slightly and leaned back, licking his lips as more skin was revealed. What he didn't know was the fact that I was purely being selfish right now.

I needed his mouth to do the work.

I left my shirt hanging on my shoulders, exposing my cleavage whilst I hooked my fingers under my cotton shorts and slowly pulled them down, swaying my hips in the process.

I watched as he swallowed and reached out to palm himself. I shimmied my shorts down my legs and stepped one foot out of them and left them resting against the other. With a quick flick of my foot, I sent my shorts flying in his direction. He deftly caught them and fisted them, never taking his eyes off me.

I was wearing a white cotton thong with a red tongue embroidered on the front. They were a little sassy but super comfortable. I watched a slow smirk appear on his lips as he took them in. I slowly walked back over to him and he sat up straight again, leaving my shorts beside him. I left my thong and shirt on and was going to make him take them off me.

"I need your help baby," I said seductively.

"Take my shirt off," I commanded. His eyes grew darker and the corners of his mouth lifted.

Edward reached up and pushed the shirt off my shoulders and it caressed my skin as it fell down behind me. My nipples hardened into little peeks as his fingers grazed them. I wanted to arch into his touch but there was something I wanted even more.

"Mmmm thank you, baby, that's much better don't you think?" I sighed in emphasis and giggled when he simply nodded.

"These panties though, do you like them?" I asked innocently as I did a 360 so he could see it from all angles.

"Very much," he finally spoke, placing his hands on my hips once I faced him again. He leaned forward to place a kiss on my mound.

I raked my fingers through his hair, noting how much longer it was. His usually clean-shaven face supported a few days stubble now and I couldn't wait to feel it between my thighs.

"Take them off," I instructed again and watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

He hooked his fingers under the waistband and pulled. His fingers grazed down my legs along with the panties, making my skin pebble. Once the thong pooled at my feet, he slowly sat back up straight whilst dragging his nose up my leg and inside of my thigh. Stopping when he got to my glistening center. He ran his tongue through my slit and I quickly stepped back and out of reach.

"I didn't say you can taste me," I gently scolded him and he quirked an eyebrow as his eyes shot from my face to my aching pussy and back up again.

"Scoot up to the top of the bed and lay down," I instructed, not moving an inch until he did what I asked. His smirk was back on his face as he moved up the bed. I discreetly rubbed my thighs together in anticipation of what's to come.

Once his head hit the pillow, he lifted it up and watched me walk around to my side of the bed and slowly climb on top of it. My knees were by his chest and I admired the hungry look in his eyes.

"Keep your hands by your side until I tell you to touch me."

"Isabella," he groaned out as I straddled his chest.

I continued to move further up until my pussy was right above his mouth. His every breath was making my skin tingle and the roughness from his stubble felt amazing against my soft flesh.

"It's time for dessert," I moaned out as I sank onto his mouth.

He plunged his tongue inside me and I cried out in pleasure. Every swipe of his tongue, every suck on my clit, kept bringing me closer and closer to my release. He breathed out of his nose and devoured my pussy like a starving man. I could hear his fists clenching and unclenching as he grabbed the sheets.

"Touch me," I finally moaned.

He didn't hesitate. He gripped my ass and began grinding me against his mouth. Going from my clit to my entrance and back again. I wasn't sure how much longer I was going to last. But as soon as one of his fingers slipped between my ass cheeks and he applied the gentlest of pressure on my puckered hole, I lost all sense of control as my thighs clamped around his head and I succumbed to my release.

The same time my hands slapped against the headboard as I continued to fall down the rabbit hole, I heard Edward cry out in pain. I quickly scrambled off him and looked down to see him clutching his injured side.

"Oh my gosh baby, are you ok?" I panted as I was still trying to catch my breath.

"Your foot…shit baby…your foot pressed against it as you came," he gritted out and tried to breathe through his pain. I quickly scrambled off the bed and ran to his side of the bed so I could get his pain meds. I quickly shook 2 out of the bottle and fetched him a glass of water to swallow them down with.

"Baby I'm so sorry," I felt my eyes well up at the thought of hurting him, something I've been trying to avoid since we got back.

"Don't apologize, it's not like you did it on purpose. It's easing off now, I'm sorry," he said as he reached out for me.

"What on earth are you apologizing for?" I asked incredulously.

"For ruining dessert time," he said and wiped at his chin, the motion making my legs quiver.

"Baby I'm the one who ruined it. I'm so sorry Edward, I got so caught up in it. I thought my foot wasn't anywhere near it," I felt the guilt take over once again.

"It wasn't until your thighs clamped down around me. God, that was so fucking hot. I thought I was going to lose my shit not being able to touch you. And your taste, it's going to be the death of me I swear," he closed his eyes and hummed as his tongue peeked out to wet his lip like he was tasting me again.

"That's it, no more. I can't risk hurting you like that again. No more sex until those stitches are out!" I said, my voice final.

I watched him open his mouth and close it as he gaped at me.

"You can't be serious?" he tried to argue.

"Oh I'm dead serious," I said.

I was going to regret my words later, that's for sure.


	39. Chapter 39

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 39**

On the sixth day since we came back, Edward surprised me with date night.

I had spent the day studying whilst Edward had gone to the warehouse. Work never seemed to cease for him lately and with the decision to open up a new club, he was busier than ever.

I only have my liquor license left to apply for and the questions on the course were endless. I was getting more and more excited about finally starting to work. I was eager to immerse myself in the club and hopefully organize an event once Edward will give me full reign.

I've brought up the idea with Alice and Rose whilst we FaceTimed and they were both excited to help me come up with something. I was currently leaning towards a masquerade-themed event and I already had ideas in mind in ways to advertise it.

My phone pinged with a text message. I smiled as I saw Edward's name pop up.

**What are you wearing? -E **

I was in a basic t-shirt dress and his white gym socks but I wanted to play with him a little.

_**Absolutely nothing *winking emoji face*-B**_

**Let me see -E**

I laughed at his predictable response and quickly took the dress off and slipped the panties off as well as the socks. It felt strange being completely naked on the couch without him.

I snapped a picture of myself, cropping most of my face out so all he could see was me biting my bottom lip and my naked body.

**Fuck. -E **

God, I wished we could do that. It's only been a day but I've held up on my word and didn't dare try anything else remotely sexual with him. I could see how frustrated he was but with the way I unintentionally hurt him whilst I climaxed, I simply was not going to risk it.

_**Just 4 more days and we can do just that. -B**_

**Fuck. -E **

He said again and I laughed at my poor husband. He tried many times the night before as well as this morning to convince me we shouldn't wait until the doctor checks him over because he feels just fine. However, he's not as slick as he thinks he is. I watch him like a hawk and I see the discomfort on his face if he sits still for too long, or if he gets up too quickly and every morning when he gets out of bed. The wound might have healed nicely already on the outside, but that didn't mean he wasn't in any pain.

_**Are you done at the warehouse? -B**_

**Not yet, I'll be home by 6. -E**

_**You better be taking it easy baby, I don't want any setbacks. -B**_

**I am, I promise. Don't worry about dinner, I want to show my wife off tonight. Meet me downstairs at 6 -E**

A warmth spread through me as I read his text. I can't say we've been on many dates since we got together due to Felix and Hunter. This was a very cherished surprise.

_**Does your wife get to know where you're taking her? -B**_

**It's a surprise. Wear something comfortable, we'll be on our feet most of the time. I love you Mrs. Cullen -E**

_**Ditto, Mr. Cullen -B **_

I squealed with excitement as I shut the laptop down and ran into the bedroom to see what I could wear for tonight. We were surprisingly getting nice weather this late into fall so as I scanned through my clothes, I decided on a floral swing dress and paired it with an oversized chunky knit sweater. The dress just barely peeks out from under the sweater and it added just a bit of color to the outfit. I then fished out my low heel, over the knee nude boots, and found a purse to match.

I quickly threw the outfit on to see if I definitely liked it and I was pleased with the reflection staring back at me.

My hair was a knotted mess -no surprise there- so I stripped out of my outfit and rushed into the shower. It was already 4.30 PM and I didn't have much time left.

I quickly washed my hair and even turned the jets on in the walls so I could get a massage whilst I wait for my conditioner to do its job. I let the pressure of the water relax me as I recalled the other night's activities. He seemed to have gotten extremely turned on when I told him what to do. Images of tying his hands up to the headboard sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.

The possibilities were endless once he gets his stitches out.

After rinsing my hair out, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a soft towel around my body before stepping back into the bedroom. The penthouse is too quiet without him, so I connected my music to the inhouse sound system and Usher's Trading Places comes on over the speakers.

I listened intently to the lyrics and an idea came to mind of trading places with Edward. I'd be the one to come and pick him up for a date. I'd be the one to drive us somewhere, pay for our dinner, pay for his drinks. Bring him back home and do unimaginable things to his body. Set his soul alight the way he sets mine.

I danced whilst I got ready and before I knew it, it was time to head down and meet my husband. I quickly packed my purse with essentials and made sure the lights were off before I stepped into the waiting elevator.

My excitement was still palpable and once the elevator doors opened, I was met by my sexy as hell husband. He's dressed in slim fitted grey slacks and a white shirt that hugged every part of his magnificent body. He's smirking at me with that crooked smile of his as he stands, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

He takes my breath away and I take a moment to collect myself before I made my way over to him.

"Where have you been all my life Mrs. Cullen?" he says as I step in front of him.

"Right here baby," my voice is all breathy as I become intoxicated by his scent.

_I seriously need to bottle that shit._

"You look absolutely beautiful. Are you ready?" he asks.

"Thank you. Yes, I'm definitely ready," if my smile gets any bigger, I was positive it was going to split my face.

He leans in and gives me a quick kiss before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leading me out of the building and towards the Escalade. We quickly hop in and then we're off.

"Will you tell me where we're going?" I try my luck again.

"Patients Isabella. You'll see shortly," he looked so relaxed as he had one hand on the wheel and the other resting on my knee.

It didn't take us long to reach our destination and I was definitely surprised to see we ended up at Navy Pier. My high school friends and I used to come here all the time and I haven't been back in years.

"We have a reservation at Riva, by the time we've had dinner, the firework show will start," he gazed lovingly at me as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"Baby this is amazing!" I squealed with excitement as I threw my arms around his neck and planted my lips on his. I could hear people chuckling around us but I didn't care.

We held hands as we walked down the pier. It looked like a lot of other couples had the same idea as they milled in and out of the restaurants and cafés. There was absolutely nothing in the world that could wipe the smile off my face right now.

There were obviously people who had given us a wide berth as they did a double-take once they recognized Edward. He simply carried on looking forward like he didn't see any of them.

"I hope one day I'll get used to all the staring," I say to him as I wrap my hands around his arm and step closer to him.

"You eventually no longer notice them. It unnerved me at first and it took me a while to at least relax my features so it didn't look like I was scowling at them," he says and kisses my forehead as we stop outside Riva.

Once we were seated, it didn't take long for our food to arrive. We spoke about anything and everything as we shared both of our orders. I told him about my masquerade idea at the club and he was all for it. He told me he finally spoke to a realtor about finding a space for the new club and there was a glint in his eyes that told me he wasn't revealing everything about that talk.

I dropped it, for now, knowing he will eventually tell me.

The sun had long set by the time we stepped back out onto the pier and made our way up to where the firework display will take place. There was already a crowd of people who had gathered around for the best spot and I tried not to laugh as Edward pushed his way through the crowd to get us to the front. I tried to at least look sheepish about it but just like earlier, people just gave us a wide berth as soon as they looked at us.

My front was pressed up against the railing and Edward stood behind me. There was a buzz of excitement all around us as someone announced the display will begin shortly. I turned back to look at Edward and found his eyes sparkling as he looked down at me. My heart once again swelled with my love for him and I snuggled back into him. He tightened his arms around me and I slowly turned his wedding ring around and enjoyed this blissful night.

I felt him tug on the end of my hair and when I leaned my head back to look at him, he leaned down and kissed me. I sighed into the kiss as he deepened it, moving one hand to the nape of my neck, and the other splayed out on my stomach. I felt the all familiar tightening in my stomach as our tongues danced.

It was only when people started cheering that I realized the firework show had started. I didn't care at that moment as he was setting fireworks off inside my heart. I'd never felt happier than I did right then and that's all because of him.

All I needed was my Edward by my side.

* * *

On the seventh day since we came back, we had a visit from Detectives Jacob Black and Embry Call.

The visit I was dreading the most.

Both Edward and Carlisle had prepped me for this but it doesn't mean I was still comfortable with having them in our home.

Both men were tall and looked to be Native Americans with their darker complexions and jet-black hair. Seth had called Edward as soon as both men stepped out of their car. I was wringing my hands together trying to calm my nerves as I waited for their arrival.

Edward was sat on the sofa, immersed in a football game, relaxed as ever. I wanted to throw something at him so he could match my apprehension.

This was way out of my league.

"If you keep biting your lip like that, you're going to make it bleed angel," he said to me whilst still watching the game.

"How do you-"

"The TV is reflective. I'm always watching Bella. Now you need to calm down," his voice was gentle as he tried to project his calm onto me.

I took a couple of deep breaths but nearly jumped when the elevator announced their arrival. There was a look of surprise on both of their faces when I was the one to greet them.

"Miss. Swan, my name is-"

"It's Mrs. Cullen," I interrupted before one of them could introduce themselves.

"My apologies. My name is Detective Jacob Black and this is my partner Detective Embry Call, we're here to discuss the shooting that took place at the hotel you were staying at in Vegas," Black said as he unbuttoned his jacket and took out a small notepad and pen.

"Your ID gentlemen?" I asked before they could step any further. Call scowled at me whilst Black fumbled with his inside jacket pocket before they both produced their badges.

"Baby who's that?" Edward called out like he hadn't been listening. I tried hard to hold in my snort.

"The Detectives are here to speak to us about Vegas," I called back over the TV. The volume lowered and I turned to watch Edward stroll over to us.

"What can we do for you gentlemen?" Edward asked nonchalantly as he wrapped his arm around my back and drew me in closer. His thumb rubbing soothing circles on my exposed skin. I was dressed in a crop top and grey sweats as we were just lounging around today. I had wanted to change but Edward told me it would look like we were waiting for them if I'd suddenly dressed up.

We had to make them believe they have taken us by surprise.

"We have some questions for you both, mind if we take a seat? This won't take long," Black said again. I take it he was playing good cop today because Call had yet to say anything.

I had nodded and turned to walk over to the couch, my eyes darted up to the TV and I saw how all three men had their eyes on my ass. _It really was reflective._

Edward and I took the sofa whilst Black took one of the armchairs and Call stood beside the window, overlooking the city. I caught Edward eyeing him and his eyebrows knitted together. I took a mental note to ask him about it later.

"Would you guys like a drink?" I asked and stood us they all said yes.

As I walked over to the kitchen, Black started his questions.

"We have evidence that you and your wife were staying at the Bellagio whilst you were out there for Mr. Whitlock's wedding is that correct?" Black asked.

"Yes, we stayed there for a couple of nights," Edward confirmed.

I walked back over to them and handed the detectives a glass of water each and a bottle of beer for Edward as requested.

"We have footage of you being at the casino the night of the shooting," he went on to say.

"Yes, we thought we'd spend some money whilst we were out there," I was trying to figure out where they were going with these questions.

"We also have footage of a James Hunter who looked like he had a great interest in you and your wife Mr. Cullen. He was the one who had started shooting. Were you aware of that?" Call finally spoke.

"There were a lot of men who took an interest in my wife that night Detective. But James Hunter and I grew up together, however, I haven't seen or heard from him since I graduated," Edward was quick to respond.

I caught the detective share a look before Black took over again.

"Any particular reason why Mr. Hunter was so interested in you? Has there been some rivalry between you? Mrs. Cullen, do you have a history with Mr. Hunter?" Black asked and I knew what he was implying.

"No, I've never met him. Couldn't even tell you what he looks like, to be honest," my heart was racing but I kept my voice calm.

"You didn't see his face as he opened fire in your direction?" Call piped up again.

"I heard a gunshot Detective Call, my instant reaction was to duck, not look at who fired the shot," _what the hell was his problem?_

"Of course," Black tried to diffuse the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Unfortunately, it looks like he had shot and hit one of the cameras that would have helped us piece together more information. We have witnesses that claim there was a second shooter but we have no sight or any other information about him or her, plus there were no other bullets found from a second gun. Do you maybe remember seeing anyone else that night? Anyone that looked suspicious?" Black asked as his eyes darted between Edward and me.

I shook my head no whilst Edward voiced his response.

"Mr. Cullen, we've been informed that you were shot that night. Can you tell us what happened?" Call almost sneered at Edward and I wanted to know what the fuck was the deal with him.

"We were by the bar just having a few drinks when the shots rang out, I fell on top of Isabella to shield her from it. It was once we started making our way back to our hotel room that Isabella told me I was bleeding. I guess the adrenaline from it all had masked everything," he was as cool as a cucumber as he retold the story.

There was a beat of silence in the room. I could still feel the scowls coming from Call but I kept my eyes on Black, who couldn't stop looking at my chest.

"If that will be all gentlemen…" Edward trailed off, there was an edge to his tone this time as his gaze was fixed on Black.

"Yes of course. Here is my card in case you think of anything else you'd like to share with us. We thank you for your time," Black rose and handed me his card but Edward took it instead. With a final nod from Black, he motioned for his partner to follow him.

Edward and I walked them back over to the elevator and I shook their hands before they stepped inside the metal box.

"Thank you for your time," Black said but only addressed me.

Edward wrapped his arms around me and brought me in closer to him whilst we watched the elevator doors close.

I let out a huge breath and Edward kissed the side of my head whilst we stood in the foyer.

"Well that went well," he smirked and palmed my ass.

* * *

On the eighth day since we came back, our parents had turned up at the penthouse for dinner, uninvited I might add, but always welcome.

Edward and I had spent the day teasing each other with subtle glances and gentle touches and pretty much drove each other crazy with desire. I kept chanting "just two more days" in my head like a prayer but it was getting ridiculously harder and harder not to pounce him.

I was definitely starting to regret my stupid rule. We were both sneaking around and getting off in the shower and more than once did I wonder why we couldn't just do it to each other.

I was desperate for his touch and he knew just what buttons to push with me to get me all worked up.

When I got up that morning, I found him shirtless, in his grey basketball shorts, on the floor, doing sit-ups. I very nearly face planted the floor when I stopped to stare at him. I was mesmerized by the way his muscles rolled through his body. Sweat dripped down his face and onto his naked chest. My desire to lick him greater than ever.

He was healing really well and no longer took pain killers. I even noticed he no longer grimaced when he moved. I so desperately wanted to just strip him down and take what I've been craving but I also wanted to hold strong.

Right now, it felt like I had to prove something to myself. Show that I have actual self-control.

But like a scaredy-cat, I ran into the bathroom and reacquainted myself with the detachable showerhead…if you get my drift.

Of course, Edward was completely shameless and I near enough jumped out of my own skin once I climaxed and found him standing in the doorway, watching me. His eyes were dark with desire and his shorts were tented. I gasped when he slid said shorts off and walked into the shower with me, stroking himself with each step.

I couldn't take my eyes away from his hand pumping him, wanting more than anything to do it for him. My mouth watered and my arousal skyrocketed once more as he moved closer to me. He reached behind my back and turned the shower temperature down to almost cold. I jumped out of the way of the spray and he laughed whilst we swapped places.

"You don't play fair," I panted.

"Who said anything about playing? This was your idea after all. All you have to do is ask Isabella," my name rolled off his tongue and my breath caught in my throat.

There was no way in hell I was going to survive this.

I took in one huge breath and stepped out of the shower. Blindly reaching for the towel and wrapping it around me. My eyes never left his cock as I walked back into the bedroom. I licked my lips and heard him groan as he threw his head back in pleasure. I caught the way his cock twitched in his hand and I could tell he was close.

His stomach tightened, accentuating the muscles he worked out not long ago. My palms were itching to feel that. I unknowingly palmed my breast as my nipples had gotten painfully hard from watching the free show.

His eyes were suddenly back on me as my name fell from his lips and I watched as streams of his cum landed on the shower floor, getting washed away with the water.

We've gotten off in front of each other before as foreplay but we would always end up being connected in the end. Watching him come undone and calling my name out like that had to be the hottest thing I think I have ever seen him do. And it killed me that he wouldn't bury his cock deep inside me.

And hence the start of this game we played for the rest of the day.

I was seconds away from caving when we were informed our parents were downstairs. Edward quickly took his hands out from under the simple cotton bodycon dress I had put on today and gave my ass one long squeeze before he walked over to the elevator. I once again had to calm my breathing as I made my way over to him so we could both greet our parents.

I happen to glance down and noticed that his sweats were bulging and watched as he tucked his erection into the waistband just as the elevator doors opened.

We all stood there, frozen for a second, with confused looks from my parents and Esme and a smirk from Carlisle at how flustered we both must have looked.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything," Carlisle said and I watched Charlie shoot daggers at him before turning his blazing eyes to Edward.

"Not at all, we were just going over some paperwork. We weren't expecting visitors…that's all," Edward quickly covered for us and he wasn't lying. We genuinely were looking at the club's paperwork before our hands started roaming like they always did.

"It's so great to see you guys!" I gushed and stepped forward to hug both my mother and Esme who stood close together, before moving over to dad and Carlisle. For a second, I thought dad wasn't going to let me go when he enveloped me in his arms. It felt almost foreign with how much affection he was giving me. Carlisle's embrace was much the same but I was somehow more used to it coming from him.

I watched a silent conversation transpire between Edward and Esme as she asked him if he was ok and he replied with a curt nod and a kiss on her cheek as she walked further into the apartment.

My parents didn't know what had happened in Vegas and we wanted to keep it that way.

"So, what bring you guys over?" Edward asked once we had all sat down in the lounge.

"We thought we'd come over for dinner and see how our kids are doing," dad said as he glanced between Edward and me, lingering on how I pretty much sat on Edward's lap.

"I wish you'd told me! I could have prepared something," I groaned as everyone chuckled at me.

"That's why we're here sweetheart," my mom said and the shock on my face was evident. I can't recall the last time my mom had cooked anything.

"Mom you're going to cook?" I asked incredulously.

"Well I was hoping I could pour the wine whilst I observe…of course," there was a twinkle in her eyes I had long forgotten what it looked like as she beamed at me. Esme laughed, patting mom on the knee and nodding.

"Great! I'm sure we have everything for a lasagne if that is ok with everyone?" I asked as I looked around the room. There were appreciative nods from the parental units and a tender kiss on my temple from Edward.

"I think that's a yes angel," he said against the side of my head as his lips lingered there.

"Right, let's get started then. Gentlemen, would you like a drink?" it felt so natural to host for everyone, even if it was unexpected.

All three men requested a scotch and I made my way over to the bar area and poured out their drinks whilst mom and Esme raided our fridge for the wine.

"Edward darling, why is your phone in the refrigerator?" Esme asked whilst trying not to giggle. I almost growled at that thing as it rang in her hand.

"Bella has rules about dinner time and phones, I wasn't aware she stashed it inside the fridge though," he smirked as he made his way over to his mother and plucked it out of her hand.

"You even think about answering that and I swear I won't touch-" but I stopped myself as I realized, we weren't alone. And what I wanted to say, should not be heard by our parents.

My silly husband held his hands up in surrender whilst that evil phone dangled between his talented fingers and smirked at me as he made his way back to where our dads sat. I continued to grumble under my breath as I brought their drinks over and squealed when Edward grabbed me by the waist and planted me down onto his lap. He wrapped his arms tightly around me and nuzzled my neck in apology. I melted into his touch and all was forgotten.

Once I was back in the kitchen, Esme had all the ingredients out for the lasagne. Mom was actually chopping vegetables for the salad whilst Esme began to prep the meat and I took over with the pasta sheets.

"So, how's married life treating you, sweetie?" Mom asked as she popped a cherry tomato into her mouth. I was still trying to familiarise myself with the woman in front of me. The last time I had seen her so relaxed was when I was a little girl. I had a feeling that her behavior had a lot to do with Esme.

"It's…just the best mom. I can't even tell you how happy he makes me. I feel like since we got back from Vegas, we haven't left each other's side. The honeymoon phase is as strong as ever," I joked and watched my mom's eyebrows knit together.

"You were in Vegas? I heard there was a shooting at the Bellagio not long ago, I hope you two weren't staying there!" she suddenly said. I noticed Edward and Carlisle glance over quickly before they went back to their conversation.

"No mom, we stayed at Edward's uncle's hotel. We were already home by the time that shooting happened," it felt easier to lie to her than it did the detectives. But that was only because I was protecting my parents. They definitely didn't need to get wrapped up in this.

"I'll toast to that," she said as she held her wine glass out to Esme and me.

Esme then expertly changed the conversation about an upcoming charity event my mom was helping with and Vegas was all forgotten.

I was putting garlic butter on the fresh loaf when mom excused herself to use the bathroom.

"How is he really?" Esme quickly asked as she glanced over at Edward. He was currently laughing at whatever my dad was saying and I automatically smiled.

"He is genuinely getting better by the day. He's no longer wincing when he moves and this morning, he even did a light workout. We're- I mean he's really just looking forward to getting his stitches out," I quickly said and tried to avoid looking at her when she snorted slightly.

"I was there in that room when the doctor said what he did when he discharged him. There's no need for you to be embarrassed sweetheart. You definitely have more willpower than I do that's for sure," she laughed as my mom came back into the room.

"What did I miss?" she asked as she took her seat at the breakfast bar and took another sip of her wine.

"It seems our lovely children are abstaining from sex," Esme said and I groaned, wanting the ground to open and swallow me whole.

"Why on earth would you do that? Have you seen your husband Isabella?" both of the mothers started laughing and I willed Edward to come to my rescue and take me away from them.

"Mom please don't! I'm sure Esme doesn't need to hear about her son's sex life any more than you do about mine!" I groaned and cursed Edward in my head for not rescuing me. I almost picked up a cherry tomato and threw it at his head.

_So much for always protecting me!_

Dinner was soon served and we all gathered to the unused dining table. Edward and I were both in the kitchen bringing the last bits of the food in when I scowled in his direction.

"What's with the daggers angel?"

"Don't angel me, Cullen!" I hissed and smacked his arm.

"What the fuck Bella?" he yelled a little and nearly dropped the salad bowl.

"Our mothers were discussing our sex life or more like the lack of it and you didn't save me from the embarrassment!" I hissed again as laughter floated from the parents.

"How was I supposed to know that? I'm not a fucking mind reader baby," he scowled back at me and rubbed his arm a little.

_What a baby_. I thought to myself as I walked past him and towards the dining table. I placed the garlic bread on both ends of the table so everyone could reach and took my seat on Edward right whilst he took the seat at the head of the table. He quickly clasped my hand that rested on top and brought it up to his lips. Telling me he was sorry with his eyes. I did the same to him when he brought our hands back and watched as his eyes darkened ever so slightly.

"I'd like to make a toast," Carlisle said as he held out his glass of red wine and stood up.

"I'd like to say thank you to our lovely wives for preparing this deliciously smelling meal. To Edward and Bella, for being such great hosts at such short notice. To Charlie and Renee, there's nothing like getting back in touch with old friends. And finally, to my darling Esme, you are the light in my otherwise dark world, you are my rock and my biggest supporter. I wouldn't be the man I am today without you. And also, to future grandbabies…whenever they may come," he shot a wink in our direction. I groaned whilst everyone else laughed before we all cheered and drank.

Edward cleared his throat and stood up, raising his glass in one hand whilst still holding my hand in the other.

"I'd like to firstly thank you, ladies, for this lovely dinner. You are definitely all in for a treat because Bella's lasagne is to die for," he joked whilst patting his abs and the table laughed along with him. "I'd most like to thank my beautiful Isabella. Before you, I wasn't really living. You fought for us before we even knew where it was going. You stand up for what you believe in and you have bigger balls than most of the people that work for me. You've set me straight more times than I can count and helped me see and approach things differently. You've brought me back to life and for that, I am forever grateful. You are the strongest woman I know and I am the luckiest sonofabitch that's ever lived. You are already my wife in the eyes of God, but I cannot wait to do it all again in front of all our family and friends. Non posso vivere senza di te." _I can't live without you. _

Tears rolled down my face at his beautiful words and I made a mental note to ask him what that last phrase meant. He leaned down and captured my lips in his whilst everyone else toasted to us.

"Let's dig in before it gets cold," I quietly said to everyone as I tried in vain to stop my tears.

"Thank you, baby, that was beautiful," I brought his hand back up to my lips as he sat back down.

"I love you, Mrs. Cullen,"

"I love you too Mr. Cullen,"

I truly, madly, deeply, do.

* * *

On the ninth day since we came back, Alice called and said they're having a get together at Jasper's place tonight.

I was excited to see my best friend and hear all about their honeymoon and Rose had told us they have some news to share.

As Edward and I made our way over to Jasper and Alice's place, I couldn't take my eyes off the beautiful architecture around us. The houses were huge and I could just imagine how much space there was inside.

After flicking through the real estate brochure in Edward's office, the idea of buying our own house felt more and more appealing. I was desperate for a huge kitchen and a backyard. And once I get my car back, I want to be able to actually drive to work instead of taking an elevator down to the first floor. I wanted to move us further out of the city and get away from the huge buzz of it.

"These are some great houses," Edward said offhandedly.

I gaped at him. It was like he could read my mind.

"I was just thinking the same thing," I said in wonder but the subject was soon dropped as we pulled up outside their home.

It was a beautiful 4 story building with tall windows and red brick. It sat nestled between other buildings but didn't stand out. It more than complimented the surrounding area. The street was quiet as tall streetlights illuminated the whole road.

"How long has he lived here?" I asked as Edward placed his hand on the small of my back and led me towards the front steps.

"For the past 3 years or so. He was left with a pretty huge inheritance and was able to buy it in cash. He dabbles in the property market, buys houses on auction, renovates them and sells them on for a bigger profit," he informed me and rang the doorbell.

The door was suddenly pulled open and my pixie of a friend threw her arms around us and squeezed.

I was so happy to see her. She was absolutely glowing and I'm not sure her amazing tan had anything to do with that.

"Oh my gosh I missed you so much!" she gushed and jumped off us. "Rose and Em are already here so come on in, the food is just coming out of the oven," she beamed at us and stood back to let us through.

Edward held my hand as he led the way into the kitchen where everyone else had gathered round. It felt amazing to all be together again. I went around and said my hellos to Rose, Emmett, and finally Jasper, letting him know how beautiful his home was.

"Thanks, darlin', took me a while to get it just right but it's home. Especially now that I have Alice here full time," he said as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He promised to give me a tour later so I could see the rest of it.

They both looked extremely happy and in love, just the way it should be.

We all quickly caught up and helped bring the food into the dining room. The house definitely felt like a home and I could already see Alice's influence here too.

We took our seat at the table and conversation resumed. We spoke about Vegas, the visit from the detectives, Edward getting shot, me shooting Hunter, the club, expanding the business, their honeymoon, and the baby, which was starting to make its presence known because Rose was definitely showing now.

She was also glowing and that was most likely because of the pregnancy.

"We wanted to wait until everyone was here to announce something," Emmett spoke up as conversations quietened down.

We all turned to look at him. Waiting.

"I'm going to be a father,"

"Yeah no shit, we kinda already know that," Jasper chimed in, making everyone laugh.

"Thanks, dipshit. As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, I'm going to be a father, so it's only right I become a husband too. I asked Rosie to marry me and of course, she said-"

"YES!" Rose shouted out, interrupting him again but he simply beamed at her.

"She said yes!" he fist-pumped the air and cheers broke out from around the table as we all got up to congratulate them.

"I'm so happy for you! Let's see the ring!" I squealed with excitement as she thrust her hand out for me and Alice to admire. The rock was huge and suited Rosalie to a T.

"I haven't stopped smiling since he asked! It was so romantic. My morning sickness had recently subsided and Emmett has been making an effort to bring me breakfast in bed. So, I lay there, rubbing my growing belly and he walks in carrying a tray filled with my favorite foods and a single-stemmed red rose in a tiny vase. I leaned in to smell the rose and noticed something shiny tied with a ribbon around the neck of the vase. At a closer look, I realized it was a ring. I gasped in surprise and turned to look at him and there he was, on one knee, in nothing but his red silky boxers, declaring his love for me and our baby," she teared up from recalling it and we instantly hugged her.

So much has happened to the three of us lately. I would have never in a million years thought we'd be where we are today.

My heart was full as I looked around the room at the people who are like family.

I caught Edward's eye and he winked at me, wrapped his arms around me and leaned down to give me a kiss.

Right then and there, I felt complete.


	40. Chapter 40

**AN - Hi everyone! So...we're actually dwindling down to the end of my little story :D it has definitely been a journey for me and I can't thank you all enough for sticking around! We're probably looking at another 2 chapters and then I will mark it complete. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that LOL.**

**Anyhooooo...enjoy :D**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 40**

It has finally been ten days since we got back from Vegas. Marcus, the family doctor, had requested that we come out to his clinic so he could check Edward's wound and remove the stitches that hadn't fallen out yet.

The whole day, there was an underlying current flowing through us at the anticipation of having the doctor finally see us.

As we both sat in the waiting room and waited for the good doctor. Edward kindly but unnecessarily reminded me of the promise he made of fucking me no matter where we were after the stitches come out.

We came extremely fucking close to doing it last night after we got back home from seeing our friends. But it was actually Edward who had put a stop to it. At least one of us had been thinking clearly. We may not have gone all the way, but I was glad we at least got each other off again. I threw caution to the wind and just let him feast on me whilst I sucked on his cock.

God bless the number 69.

Edward didn't let me wallow in self-pity from my lack of self-control. He made a fair point that if we had held out until today, it would have ended up being a 2-minute pump job and the whole thing would have been over. I definitely wasn't going to argue with him about that.

So here we sat, waiting for Marcus to see us, desperate for each other like we were the first night we met.

"I've been watching the nurse's room since we got here and no one seems to be going in or out of it," he suddenly whispered.

"So?"

"So I'm thinking of fucking you in the nurse's room as soon as these stitches are out."

"Baby the next time we fuck, we better be somewhere secluded and alone. Edward, do you seriously think I will be able to stay quiet?" I whisper yelled to make my point.

"Shit. You're right, I'm sorry. I just want you so fucking bad Isabella."

"And I want you just as much but baby please, not here," I pleaded.

"Ok," he smirked at me and his name was finally called out.

He stood up and grabbed my hand, nearly dragging me into the doctor's office in his haste to get checked out and leave.

"Edward, Isabella, it's great to see you!" Marcus gushed as he rose from behind his desk and walked over to shake Edward's hand and give me a kiss on the cheek in greeting.

"It's great to see you too Doc, how about we get on with business?" I don't think it was possible to wipe that smile off of Edward's face.

A boisterous laugh escaped Marcus as he nodded and motioned for us to sit.

"Let me just go over a few of the details with you first and then we'll take care of the stitches, shall we?" he walked back around and sat down behind his desk. He pulled up Edward's medical file and I watched his eyes skim through it.

"So you were in surgery for 2 hours with a gunshot injury. Went through and through. Quite a fair bit of blood loss. Transfusion. Grazed kidney. Medication, medication, medication, and more medication. 7 stitches in total…how many have you got left?" his head suddenly shot up to look at Edward.

"3 I think. Quite a few had fallen out on their own," Edward replied whilst his thumb made slow circles on the inside of my wrist.

"Great stuff. And have you been taking your medication?"

"Yeah, I had no choice," he almost grumbled as he shot me a look and Marcus laughed again.

"I take it, Isabella, here has been keeping a watchful eye on you. You're lucky Edward, not many women care as much. Any strenuous activities?" he was full-on smirking now.

"I started doing light workouts a couple of days ago but nothing more," he confessed.

"By your sullen mood, I take it sex has been off the table too?" I giggled at that and both men turned to look at me. I have never known a doctor to be so blunt or upfront before. Gosh, I couldn't even tell you my doctor's name. But I definitely like Marcus.

"No, no sex, so if you don't mind Marcus, I'd really like to get these last stitches out so I can go home and do my wife like God intended," Edward had no problem with oversharing it seems.

"Are you two planning to start a family?" Marcus suddenly asked. Another twinkle in his eyes just like Carlisle and Esme.

"No, not yet," Edward said and squeezed my hand.

"Ok. Let's get to it then. Edward please take off your shirt and lay on the bed for me," Marcus instructed and both men stood up. My eyes were glued to Edward's torso as he peeled his t-shirt off. I couldn't wait to be rubbing up against it once we're out of here.

Edward walked over to the clinical bed and laid down. He turned his head to look at me and flashed me his sexy smirk.

Marcus made his way over to Edward, carrying a surgical tray with tools on it. He sat down beside him and moved the overhead lamp over to the wound.

"That's healed very nicely there, Edward. Minimal scarring…good, good. Ok, you might feel a slight tugging sensation but otherwise, these little suckers should come out quite easily," Marcus explained and I kept my eyes on Edward's face. There was absolute silence in the room as Marcus worked over him.

I was pleased to see that not once did Edward grimace or flinch from whatever Marcus was doing and I was grateful for that.

I don't ever want to see Edward in pain again.

"You're all set!" Marcus exclaimed and sat back. Edward hopped off the bed and made his way back over to me. I handed him his t-shirt back and licked my lips as his muscles rolled with every movement. You could definitely bounce a quarter off those abs.

"If you don't have any questions for me, then you're good to go," Marcus informed us and we both shook our heads.

"Great. Don't strain yourself too much and no sex for another 5 days or so," he carried on to say.

We both whipped our heads around to face him so quickly, I was sure we'd given ourselves whiplash.

"What?" we both said at the same time.

"Oh god, you should see your faces right now, absolutely priceless! Carlisle told me this would be a hoot. I'm joking kids, you're all set to procreate once again," he continued to laugh at our faces and I sagged back in relief.

"You and dad need to stop gossiping like old women," Edward grumbled and held his hand out for me as I stood up.

"Look after yourselves," he said to us as he held the door open. He gave Edward another handshake and another kiss on the cheek for me.

We rushed out of the clinic like our asses were on fire and hopped back into the car.

I was pretty sure all traffic laws had been broken as he rushed us back home. I couldn't help myself as my hands roamed up and down his thigh until I finally rested it on his cock.

He was hard and straining against the denim and I wanted to free my baby from its confines.

"Oh fuck," he moaned as I continued to palm him.

"Drive faster baby," I moaned as he twitched beneath my hand.

The tires soon came to their usual screeching holt as he pulled up outside the back entrance. I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest with my desire for him.

I fumbled with my seat belt as I tried to unbuckle it when he suddenly grabbed my wrist to stop me.

"Let me," he almost whispered as his expert hands reached over to unclasp the buckle. My breath caught in my throat as his fingers slowly grazed up my arm, up to my shoulder and around to the nape of my neck. With a swift pull, his lips descended upon mine.

The kiss was wet and hurried and we both struggled to get closer to each other.

"Edward," I moaned against his lips in a plea for more.

He sucked my bottom lips into his mouth before biting down on it. He almost growled as we pulled apart and he quickly threw the door open and got out of the car. I sat still, trying to catch my breath as I watched him walk around to my side. The cool air hit my skin the moment he opened my door and held his hand out for me.

My skin set alight when my hand touched his and my need for him intensified.

"Come," was the only thing he said.

My legs trembled as soon as my feet touched the concrete but he would never let me fall.

I don't think I've ever felt such desperation for him.

We quickly walked to the back entrance as Seth held the door open for us. I don't think we even acknowledged him as Edward led me towards the elevator. He quickly swiped his thumb on the scanner and the doors slid open. I almost ran inside it, trying to get to the top floor as soon as possible.

And it looked like Edward couldn't wait either.

He pressed me against the mirrored wall and his lips latched onto my neck, kissing the spot that made my hairs stand on end. His erection pressed into my hip and I hitched my leg up his body so he was flush against my center. I desperately needed the friction. His hand slid up my raised leg and rested around my thigh before he grabbed the other leg and lifted me up.

My legs instinctively wrapped around him and he held me up by my ass. I was so glad I decided to wear a dress today as I enjoyed the feeling of his hands come into contact with my bare skin.

"I can't wait any longer, I need you," he spoke into my neck. He gently placed my feet back down on the elevator floor and at the same time, dragged the dress over my head and off my body. I quickly kicked my shoes off and reached out to pull his t-shirt off. I had just gotten my hands on his fly when the elevator doors opened and we stumbled out of it. Not caring about the clothes and shoes we left behind.

We left a trail of our clothing in our haste to get to the bedroom as I quickly undid my bra and slipped my panties off. Once his jeans and shoes were off, he quickly picked me back up.

"Oh shit," he panted as he came into contact with my hot and completely soaked skin. I was pretty sure I was gushing for him right now and he wasted no time thrusting two fingers inside my pussy and curling them tightly. I pushed against his hand as he carried me into the bedroom, his fingers working me so frantically that our combined sounds rang out loudly between us.

I grabbed fistfuls of his hair and pulled, almost violently, as I plunged my tongue inside his mouth, moaning loudly as he brought me to near climax with every twist of his fingers.

I felt my back meet the bed and he hovered over me.

"Isabella," my name fell from his lips like a prayer as he wrapped his finger around his cock and dragged the head up and down my slit. I think I stopped breathing when he slowly, ever-so-slowly, pushed inside me, stopping once the head of his cock was nestled just inside. Our foreheads pressed tightly together as he slid one hand behind my back, crushing me to him and slowly sliding the rest of the way inside my already quivering body.

I was completely lost in the sensation of him finally filling me. He slowly slid almost all the way back out, before slamming back into me, picking his speed up this time. The slick wet sound rang out around us, magnifying how wet I was for him as he continued to pound into me. The hand he had around my back moved to my knee as he brought my leg up to my chest. He went in deeper so I moved the other leg up closer to my chest too. His other hand moved to my other leg and he held me in place as he continued to thrust into me. He then sat up ever so slightly and increased his speed.

I held my breath, letting the feeling of him take over my whole body. I watched him watch us and his eyes were hooded as he marveled at the way his cock entered my body repeatedly.

"More," I suddenly moaned. I need more of it, I needed more of him.

He let go of my legs and wrapped them around his waist before he hoisted me up to his body. In a move too fast for me to grasp right now, he had flipped us so that I was on top.

My hair fell like a curtain around us as I placed my hands beside his head and lifted my hips up before slamming back down onto him. He closed his eyes and his mouth opened in pleasure. I continued to bounce on his cock, making sure to rub my clit against him every time I came down.

Sweat had coated both of our bodies and I felt myself coming to the brink of no return. I dragged my hands down his chest, scraping my nails against him as I sat up. I ground my hips against him before I leaned back, placing my hands behind me and resting them on his shins. He gripped my hips tightly at the change in angle. I watched the way he threw his head back, the tendons in his neck stretching as he moaned.

His right hand suddenly moved and his thumb pressed against my clit. I screamed in pleasure as the euphoria took over and I climaxed. The feeling rolled through my entire body, starting from my scalp, all the way down to my curled toes as he took over and raised his hips to pound into me.

I felt him twitch inside me but his movements never wavered.

"Come on Isabella, give me another one," he grunted out and I collapsed on top of him, spent from the earth-shattering orgasm. Before my mind could register it, I was suddenly on all fours and he positioned himself behind me.

I arched my back and he placed a hand on my waist to dip me even lower and held his cock in the other. He positioned it against my entrance and slammed into me, his balls slapping against me as his thrusts were almost violent. My arms shook as I tried to hold myself up but my face and shoulders soon rested on the mattress as my ass went higher up in the air. Just that simple change in position allowed him to go deeper and he was once again bringing me to the brink of my second orgasm.

"That ass will be the death of me Isabella. I can imagine just how tight you'd be there. Please tell me I can have it…please," his voice was strained as his grip on me tightened and I felt him twitch inside me.

He groaned behind me when I told him he can have whatever he wants. I probably would have agreed to just about anything right now.

The idea of a little ass play excited me and just the thought of experiencing that with him, sent me over the edge. I screamed out his name as I thrashed against him, trying to meet his thrusts.

"Fu-u-u-c-k," he groaned and I felt him spill inside me, my pussy still clenching him as it spasmed from the second orgasm.

His movements slowed down as he rode it out before he completely stilled behind me. His grip on me loosened and his weight came crashing down on top of me, making me collapsed into the mattress. I let out a giggle and felt his body shake from his own laughter.

"I think my soul left my body," he said into my hair as he continued to lay on top of me.

"I think mine joined yours. Never again are we listening to what a fucking doctor has to say, if we want to fuck, we'll fuck," I tried to sound authoritative but I had no energy left.

He hummed in response and moved off me. He threw his arm around me and nestled the side of my body closer into his chest. As our breathing calmed and our hearts returned to their normal rhythm, I managed to climb off the bed and walked into the bathroom to get a wet towel. I cleaned myself up and made my way back into the bedroom to find him sound asleep. One arm rested on his stomach whilst the other rested above his head.

I licked my lips at the sight of him and quietly walked back over to the bed and climbed in, trying not to jostle him as I moved in closer. I gently ran my fingers through his hair and he hummed but didn't wake. I closed my eyes and listened to his even breathing, trying to match mine with his. It didn't even take me a minute to fall asleep right along with him.

* * *

When I awoke again, I reached out for Edward but his side of the bed was cold. I lifted my head up and found him leaning against the doorframe, our previously discarded clothes in his hands.

"How long have you been up?" my voice was hoarse from sleep.

"About 20 minutes," he said as his eyes traveled up and down my naked form. There was a small v creased above his nose as his eyes lingered on my hips.

"I've hurt you," if I wasn't so attuned to him, I probably would have missed what he said.

I looked behind me and noticed faint marks on my hips, prints of his fingers were already appearing on my pale skin.

"I didn't feel anything. They're just marks Edward, bruises happen during sex all the time. Look at the roadmap I've left on your chest," I say as I motioned to his exposed chest that held a few red angry scratches.

He slowly looked down and I saw him smirk as he examined them. He moved off the doorframe and placed our discarded clothes on the chair before he padded over to the bed and sat beside me. He leaned against the headboard as he looked down at me.

"The realtor called me earlier. She's got something she wants to show me, come with me?" he asked as he ran his fingers through my tangled hair.

"A new space for the club? Sure, I'd love to go with you!" I said excitedly and suddenly sprang up and off the bed.

"But first you need a shower, Mr. Cullen, you're awfully…dirty," I teased and laughed as he ran towards me, scooped me into his arms and stepped inside the shower. He turned the water on and I squealed as the cold spray hit my warm skin.

In no time at all, he had me pressed up against the cold tiled wall as his cock stood to attention inches away from my already clenching pussy. We breathed into each other's mouths as the atmosphere shifted around us once more.

My mouth attacked him as my desire for him skyrocketed when I felt him twitch below me, the head of his cock brushing against my entrance.

"Love me," I panted against his lips.

"With pleasure," he responded and my body slid down against the wall slightly before I was impaled by him. He stilled when he was sheathed completely inside me. I looked down to see where we were joined and watched him slide out of me before he ever-so-slowly slid back in.

I looked back up to him and found him watching us too, his mouth hung open and I could taste him in the air around us. The water pelted on his back and bounced onto my face but I couldn't care less. All my focus was on the feeling of his cock.

"Touch me…make me cum baby…please…I'm so close," I pleaded as his continuous penetration was becoming too much.

"Wait for me," he murmured against my lips.

His thrusts were slow and deliberate and I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to hold out. My legs shook as I tried to tighten my grip on him, making the walls inside me clench. A delicious groan elicited from his lips as he lost the rhythm he had set.

"Oh, fuck…you're so tight this way…shit, Bella! Cum! Cum now!" he near enough roared as I let go, succumbing to the intense pleasure that overtook my body and bringing him down with me.

I felt his arms shake as he continued to hold me up against the wall and then he stilled inside me. Our chests rose and fell with every breath we took. We didn't take our eyes off each other. Unspoken words were told through our gazes.

Our love for one another was evident inside the confined space of the shower.

"I love you," I finally uttered.

"Forever,"

My emotions were running high and his handsome face became a blur as tears formed in my eyes, waiting for me to blink so they could spill over.

"Forever," I echoed.

We gently washed each other, hardly leaving any space between us. Our touches were loving as we shared silly kisses. I burst into laughter as I gave Edward a shampoo mohawk and he proceeded to tickle me, making me laugh harder.

Overwhelming happiness consumed me at our silly antics.

"What time do we have to meet the realtor?" I asked once we had gotten out of the shower. I was wrapping a towel around my hair and found him watching me once I looked back up.

"At 5. I was thinking we could go grab dinner somewhere once we're done," he answered and tightened the towel around his hips.

"Sounds good to me baby. I'm so excited! I wonder if it will be a good space? Have you seen pictures of it?" I asked as we both started getting ready. I felt his eyes continue to follow my every move as I got my body lotion off the dresser and proceeded to rub it into my legs.

"Yeah I've seen pictures," he responded absentmindedly and I felt like he was holding something back.

"Is everything alright? You're not very forthcoming there Mr. Cullen," I teased, trying to lighten the mood a little. He was suddenly very uncertain about something.

"I just hope you'll like it," he says sincerely and continued to get dressed. He had gone for light blue jeans, a grey t-shirt, and a navy peacoat. He completed the look with a pair of black boots I'd never seen him wear before. He looked sinful in such a relaxed outfit and I was surprised to see him dress so casually considering this may be a business deal.

I had settled for black skinny jeans with rips at the knees, a thin grey sweater that I tucked the front of inside the jeans and a pair of black boots with buckles on the side. I loosely wrapped a cotton black scarf around my neck in case I get chilly as the weather was definitely becoming unpredictable.

I yearned for a warmer climate and was eager to discuss a few travel plans with Edward.

We made our way out of the penthouse once we checked to see if we got everything.

It looked like we were taking the Vantage and I was simply itching to drive that car. But alas, I was still waiting for my driving license to come back.

He held the door open for me and I slid inside the luxurious car. We definitely didn't use it enough. I relaxed into the expensive leather and it wasn't long before we were on our way to this unknown location.


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N - So...erm...next chapter will be the last one...**

**Okthanksbye.**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 41**

We ended up on the east side of Lincoln Park and I thought it was a strange place to open up a club but maybe Edward knew something I didn't.

I'd always seen Lincoln Park as more of a residential area so I was even more confused when he pulled up on Hudson Avenue. He stopped the car outside a beautiful 3 story red brick house.

"Are you sure this is the place she wanted you to see?" I turned to him and asked.

"Yeah, this is the place. What do you think?" he asked as he mirrored my position.

"I think it will piss off the neighbors if you open up a club here," I was pretty sure the confusion on my face was evident but he was giving nothing away.

"Let's go check it out," was all he said before he stepped out of the car. He walked around to my side and opened my door. As he held his hand out for me, a beautiful older woman stepped out of the house and beamed towards us.

"Edward I'm so glad you could make it on such short notice!" She said as she made her way down the stone steps towards us. She had strawberry blonde hair, gold chains hung around her neck, and pretty much every finger had a ring on it. She wore a peach pantsuit and nude-colored Louboutins.

Once she reached us, she leaned in and kissed Edward on the cheek, beaming at him once she stepped back. Edward rested his hand on the small of my back and smiled back at the cougar.

"Carmen, how are you?" He asked politely and she continued to beam at him.

"I'm good darling, I can't believe we're here again! And who's this?" She finally noticed me.

"This is my wife, Isabella. Isabella this is Carmen, our realtor," he made introductions and she held her hand out for me to shake. I watched the way she assessed both of us and there was a disturbing glint in her eyes.

"Ah so you're The Isabella our Edward couldn't stop gushing about, it's definitely a pleasure to meet you! Now come on you two, let's go inside!" I found her excitement comical. I know she was after a sale but this was a little over the top.

"Are there many clubs around here Carmen?" I asked as we followed behind her.

"Clubs? No, not as far as I'm aware. We're in the suburbs Isabella, it's mostly family homes, parks, the zoo, schools, and just a homey neighborhood. If it's the clubs you're after, you'd have to go further into the city," she rattled on as we reached the top and she opened the front door.

"I don't understand, I thought we were looking at a possible club space?" I whispered to Edward but the cougar had great hearing it seems because she was the one to answer me.

"Club space? No Isabella," she laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Edward had stayed relatively quiet through the whole thing as I shot daggers in his direction.

_What the fuck was going on here? _

As we stepped inside, my jaw hit the floor as I took in the place before me.

There was a door to the left as you walk in, it was ajar and I could see that whoever was currently living here, used it as a coat closet. I felt no control over my legs as they led my forward towards a black baby grand that sat nestled under a beautifully curved staircase. The floors were dark wood whilst the walls looked slightly outdated but I was still very much in awe of this place as I tried to take in as much information around me as I could.

I stepped away from Edward and went exploring further.

Onto the right of us was a French farmhouse kitchen that I fell in love with instantly with the share size of it. It was littered with top-end appliances, oak cabinets, a large island with more than enough prep space, and a cozy breakfast room. It has a full side of windows overlooking the large backyard.

There was a spacious pantry off to the side of the kitchen with gorgeous copper countertops and endless storage space. This kitchen would be my pride and joy.

As I walked around the kitchen, it warmed my heart to see a gracious family room opens to the kitchen and it looks perfectly informal. I could picture Edward and I just sitting here, watching TV and just relaxing together after a long day's work.

"Originally this was two separate row homes. The owner completely re-built and combined the two into a one of a kind family home with the absolute highest quality workmanship and finest finishes throughout," Carmen rattled off like she was reading from the brochure.

I was positive my mouth was open the whole time as I fell in love with the house – and I'd only seen 2 rooms and the foyer.

After nosing around the kitchen some more, we walked back out into the foyer. On the left of the staircase, the formal living room was alight with the setting sun and it was definitely for entertaining and hardly looked like it was used. A contrast to the rest of the house which looked more lived in with wear and tear signs all over the place.

The adjacent grand dining room has access through dark solid wood pocket doors and this room looked like it was hardly used as well. The huge 8-seater oval dining table dominated the room and that too looked outdated. Just like the green wallpaper with the exotic birds on it.

Straight ahead from the entrance there was a cherry wood office space that could fit both of Edward's offices inside. It doubled up as a library and held an impressive amount of literature.

"Do you want to see the upstairs?" Edward suddenly asked, making me jump at his proximity.

"Yes," I breathed out and took hold of the hand he held out for me.

"There is a total of four bedrooms all on one level. All bedrooms have their own private bathrooms. There's a bathroom on the first floor too for guests to use if they're not spending the night." Carmen commented as she followed us.

Once we reached the top floor, on the left of us was the master suite as it spanned the entire rear of the home. I continued gawking as I took in the magnificent room. It was spacious and illuminated by natural light. A queen-sized four-poster bed was the epitome of the room. Half the bed was decorated in tiny cushions and I can't imagine having to throw them off the bed at the end of each day, just to pile them back up in the morning. Most of the time, Edward and I hardly bothered to make our bed, let alone decorated it with cushions.

The master suite also overlooked the garden space and I couldn't wait to step out and see it fully.

On the wall adjacent to the bed was a huge walk-in closet that leads into the master bathroom. It held a large Victorian double ended chrome bath with extravagant taps. A contradiction to the rest of the bathroom was the walk-through shower. It had a ceiling waterfall shower head and I was desperate to try out. I walked over to the wall that held the controls and turned the shower on. I was pretty sure I moaned at the sight of it.

The bathroom was also fitted with his and her sinks and had a floor to ceiling mirror that spanned throughout the whole wall. The walls were a dark shade of green and the floor was terracotta.

"So, what do you think so far?" Carmen asked and beamed at us.

"I love it," I whispered as I turned the amazing shower off and reluctantly walked out of the bathroom, to see the rest of the second floor.

The rest of the bedrooms were the size that ours was now. They all had their own characteristics and I could picture the changes I'd make in each room if this was my house. The en suites were equipped with everything you'd need and it pleased me to see that only the master bathroom had the amazing shower in it.

I was in awe of the entire place and I couldn't believe there was another floor we had yet to see.

As we made our way back downstairs, I wanted to pull Edward aside and ask him what we were actually doing here.

"Let's just see the ground floor and then we'll talk," he whispered into my ear as he answered my unspoken question.

I nodded in response and followed him into the lowest level of the house.

Carmen pointed out the four-space garage as well as the media room and two more guest bedrooms adjoined by a nicely appointed bathroom. There was also a large game room that housed a pool table, a home cinema, and arcade machines. On the other side was the huge laundry room that looked like it had a separate machine for your whites, blacks, and other colored clothing.

"Can we see the garden now?" I asked as we stood inside the huge garage.

"Right this way," Carmen said and led us over to the far end of the garage that held a door to the outside space. We climbed a couple of steps and reached street level again and luckily, the space was gated off from the public footpath. We walked around the house and finally came into the concrete garden. There wasn't a patch of grass in sight but it looked pleasant enough to want to spend time out here. It had wicker seating and a table to match but it looked a little rugged from weather damage.

"Carmen, do you mind giving us a moment please?" Edward asked and she nodded and made her way back inside the house.

"What do you think?" He turned back to me and asked.

"I think you lied to me and I'm still trying to figure out what we're doing here," I said as I assessed him.

His hand shot to his hair as he ran his fingers through it and then rubbed the back of his neck as he looked up at me.

"Now, I know this is the sort of thing we should have discussed more and probably done together, but I've gone ahead and started the ball rolling into finding us a place to live. A home for us," I could see he was finding it difficult to gauge my reaction because I'd never seen him so unsure of himself before.

"Hell yeah, it's something we should have done together! Why didn't you tell me you were looking at something like this?"

"I wanted to surprise you. I've seen this place five times now and have fallen in love with it each time I've seen it. Obviously, if it's not something you like, then we can keep looking. I'm sorry I kept this from you but I genuinely just wanted to surprise you with it," his gaze lowered and I wanted to wrap my arms around him and kiss him silly.

"Want to know what I think?" I asked as I moved closer to him.

"Yeah," he breathed.

"We'd definitely need to change a few things about it, bring it up to this century at least. I also think we could have some amazing sex in that shower. I could also picture myself being bent over that pool table as you take me from behind. But I…love it, I love it, baby." I gushed and finally wrapped my arms around him.

"Yeah?" He asked, shocked.

"Yeah," I beamed back.

"Can I tell you a secret?" He whispered into my ear.

"Another one? Just what else are you keeping from me?" I teased.

"I've too, thought about bending you over that pool table the first time I saw this house," he nuzzled my neck as he tightened his grip around my waist.

I giggled and my imagination went haywire as I thought about how much fun we could have in this house.

"Once we finish with renovations, or maybe as we empty the house, we are definitely going to christen. Every. Single. Room," I punctuate each word with a kiss and we beam at each other.

"So, are we in?" He asked.

"We're in. I want this to be our home baby," I couldn't even hold in the excitement by this point.

"Then it's ours, Mrs. Cullen," his voice was husky and his growing need between us made me hungry for him once more.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we made our way back into the house. Carmen was standing by the kitchen island as she tapped away on her phone. Her head shoots up as she noticed us approaching.

"What do you think Isabella? Isn't it grand? I wasn't sure it would be up to scratch when Edward enquired about it but he was pretty adamant you would like it. Do you guys need some more time or-?" She hinted and I could practically see the dollar signs in her eyes.

"Why don't I call you tomorrow Carmen and we can look over figures then. I want my lawyer to look over a few things before we make any deals. This is important for us, we want to get it right. The last thing I want is an unwelcome surprise once we sign the contract." Edward's tone was authoritative and that strange look came over her face again.

"Absolutely. You know how to reach me," she plastered on another megawatt smile and motioned for us towards the door.

We followed her out and stepped back so she could lock up.

"What happened to the previous owners?" I asked. I've seen plenty of home shows and paranormal TV shows to know it's important to ask that question.

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith used to live here. It was Mr. Smith who did all the remodeling and renovations. They have a huge family that they raised here but all the kids have moved away so he and his wife decided to downscale and move to Miami. They were about your age when they bought the place and obviously back then, it hardly cost anything," she rolled her eyes slightly but then her expression became wistful.

I wanted to ask just how much this place cost but I think I'd rather hear it from Edward.

And I'd rather be sitting down when I hear it.

And, I'd rather have a drink in my hand too.

"I'll call you tomorrow Carmen," Edward finally said and stretched his hand out for her to shake. She did so but then reached forward to kiss his cheek.

I felt him stiffen beside me ever so slightly. If I didn't know him as well as I did, I probably wouldn't have noticed it.

She then turned to me and did the same. Her hands were soft but felt heavy with all the rings she's wearing. Her handshake is firm and my nose twitches from her overpowering perfume as she leaned in to kiss my cheek before she stepped back from us.

"It was definitely a pleasure to meet you, Isabella. I look forward to your call Edward. Have a good night you two," she gives us another one of her smiles and turns towards her car, her phone pressed between her shoulder and her ear as she unlocks it and climbs in.

"Want to hear something interesting?" Edward suddenly asks.

"Always!"

"She's a Domme," he says and I'm staggered.

"No way! How the hell do you know that?" I almost shout.

"I did some background checks on her before I hired her. She likes them young and isn't opposed to having both male and female subs," he says it like we're discussing the weather.

"That explains the look she was giving us!" I say and it finally makes sense.

"Yeah, she asked me if I dabbled in it the first time we met," my jaw drops at his revelation as he steers me towards the car and opens the door for me.

I climb in, still shocked as I process this information.

"She must have creamed her panties with the both of us here tonight," I say as he gets in and starts up the car. He laughs at my comment but doesn't deny it.

"What are you in the mood for?" he asks as we slowly drive around the neighborhood, checking out the places that will become our local eventually.

"You," I say teasingly and place my hand on his thigh.

"To eat angel," he says and shakes his head in amusement.

"What about Vinci? I heard Alice rave about it to Rose last night," I continue gazing around and smile at the number of young couples that are walking around.

We soon pull up outside the Italian restaurant and get seated straight away.

The restaurant is vibrant and luckily isn't too packed. There's a lot we need to discuss tonight and I didn't want to have to shout across the table the whole time.

We're of course sitting at the table that faces out into the restaurant and has a clear view of the outside, so Edward has all areas covered. Instead of sitting across from each other, he scoots my chair closer to him and wraps his arm around the back of my seat. He captured all of my senses and I get lost in the sight and feel of him so close to me.

"How much?" I finally ask.

"$5.5 million," he lowers his voice and tries to gauge my reaction again.

"Fuck," I whisper because that was a shit tonne of money.

"A drop in the ocean really," he says like it's no big deal.

"For some!" I try to keep my voice low but he's talking like he has that sort of money just lying around.

"Baby I make more than that a year. It's really not a big deal," his hand moves to my arm and he rubs soothing circles into it.

"You can't tell me you don't expect me to at least pay half!" _He was ridiculous if he thinks I'd just let him buy it without chipping in._

"Isabella, the night you married me, everything that I have is now yours. I don't want your money. Hell, your money is my money so it's really a moot point right now," he shakes his head as I open my mouth to argue again.

"No," he says and our waiter appears with our bottle of wine. He lets Edward sample it and at his approval, pours us both a glass. We tell him our orders and he leaves us alone, probably sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere around us.

"But I have my own money, Edward. We're doing this together baby. It makes me feel inadequate when you're refusing to let me contribute," I finally tell him and his gaze softens.

"We are equal in this baby, in every way. But I still don't want your money. Think of it as my wedding present to you," he suddenly beams, like he's figured out a loophole.

"It's too much Edward," I hear myself say but I'm also too busy thinking about what I could possibly get him in return.

"Nothing is ever too much when it comes to you angel, when will you realize that?" He says reverently.

"You're all I need in this life Edward," I tell him as I reach up to run my hand through his hair before leaning in to kiss him.

For the rest of the night, we avoid talking about the cost of the house and discuss the things we'd like to change or update.

Edward tells me he'll get in touch with Jasper and find out who his contractor is so that we can get someone reliable to help us build our home. We talk about the features we like and the things we want to keep.

He tells me that he wants us to share the office and have his and hers desks in the impressive room. I ask him if he's sure about that as I don't want to disturb him whilst he deals with both legal and illegal businesses. He tells me he likes sharing his space with me and that I will be doing the same business he's doing when it comes to the club.

We both agree we want to keep the shower the way it is and just upgrade around it. I tell him the few kitchen ideas I've drawn up in my head and he just grinned at me as he listened.

I still can't yet believe this is happening.

We've only briefly spoken about moving out of the penthouse and I never realized how much he's actually been thinking about it. He then confessed the idea of living in a house was planted in his head the night we met Jasper and Alice at Nonna's and she made the comment about whether it was safe for me to stay there. He told me he wants something that is more stable.

He said he still wants to keep the penthouse as it's in a great location and will come in handy when we're out in the city to save us the drive home. Plus, it was also closer to the warehouse.

"Are you really having your lawyer look over the paperwork?" I ask as we wait for our bill to arrive.

"Yeah definitely. It's not that I don't trust Carmen and her company, I just want to make sure we're not blindsided with anything," he says and takes my hand that rests on the table.

"Who's your lawyer?" I ask. This was definitely something I didn't know.

"Your father works with him, Harry Clearwater," he tells me and I smile, remembering Harry. He was a zero bullshit kind of man and was a shark in the courtroom from the stories my dad has told me.

"Yeah, I know Harry. He used to scare me when I was little. Getting married definitely softened him," I add as I recall the wedding my parents dragged me to.

"Yeah well Charlie said he was the best in the game when it came to shit like this," he shrugs and finally hands the waiter his credit card.

"Who was your lawyer before him?" I continued to ask.

"One of the pricks my dad has in his pocket. He's too busy brownnosing dad to pull any stunts but I want someone who's been in the game longer. Who can smell shit a mile away and do his fucking job right, no matter the cost." He finishes off to say and glances up at our waiter who's lingering close to me.

I shuffle closer to Edward and the guy scurries away after handing him his card back. We both rise out of our chairs and make our way out of the restaurant to head back home.

It's definitely been one hell of a day for us and I wanted to tell him to take us home so we can celebrate but I didn't want to jinx anything before the paperwork has been read through. I'm no expert, but property is a risky business and we got to make sure all of our eggs are in the right basket before we rush to throw that sort of money away.

"Let's go home baby, there are things I want to do to that pussy that has been distracting me all night," he groans into my ear as he traps me beside the car.

When his lips descend on mine, he leaves me breathless and panting for more.

_Yes…home. _


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N - This is it...**

* * *

**Innocent Until Proven Guilty Chapter 42**

We had literally just fallen asleep when my phone started ringing. A part of me wanted to ignore it but no one was stupid enough to call this late in the night unless it was an emergency. If it had been Edward's phone, I would have turned back around and gone back to sleep. If his phone rings in the middle of the night, it means he's got a job to do. If my phone rings in the middle of the night, it means there's an emergency.

"Someone better be dying, I swear," I grumbled as I blindly reached out for the phone. I tried clearing my throat a little before I picked up. My voice hoarse from screaming his name out just an hour ago.

He chuckled behind me and snuggled into me closer.

_Jerk._

"Hello?" I couldn't bear to even look at the screen to see who it might be.

"Bella! The baby! It's coming! BELLA!" I've never heard Emmett's voice go so high before. I shot up, nearly knocking Edward out with my elbow.

"Shit shit shit. We're on our way!" I shouted back and jumped out of bed.

"What's happened?" My gorgeous husband asked once I hung up. He had propped himself up on his elbow, squinting up at me. His hair was disheveled from my fingers running through it and gripping it in throws of passion.

I tried to clear my head from thinking about what we've been up to an hour ago. Now definitely wasn't the time.

"The baby is coming," I hurried out to say as I was trying to find my clothes. It wasn't easy when all of our shit was still in boxes.

We had moved into our new home today…well technically yesterday. Our family and friends helped us haul ass out of the penthouse and into our newly renovated home. It is everything we wanted and more. It felt like it was never going to not be a construction site. We went to Jasper when it came to finding the best contractors because we didn't want a half-assed job. We paid top dollar for them and they had followed my every whim to a T. God knows I've put them through the wringer as I kept changing my mind on a few of the rooms. In the end, the blank canvas that it was, was everything we dreamed of.

I loved how much Edward had been a part of this with me and didn't leave all the planning to just me. I valued his input and I wanted him to feel like he could easily change something he didn't like. We would spend countless nights going over design ideas and we had spent hours with interior designers to try and turn our vision into reality. Until one day I had enough and fired the lot of them. Yeah, they had contacts in the right places, but they couldn't envision our home the way we did.

I took over planning and Edward backed me up the whole way.

Our mothers helped of course and more than once I had to reign them in from talking the contractors into building a nursery for a baby that wasn't coming. They kept trying to sell the idea to us that it would be good to have it installed now and not have to worry about it in the future. We didn't want that hanging over our heads though, that pressure to start a family. Because we were definitely getting it from both sides of our family. Even Charlie kept hinting at wanting a grandchild to spoil. Carlisle had even taken it upon himself to spam Edward with emails on things he could do to boost his sperm count.

They were crazy. But I loved them.

Since buying the house, taking over the club, Edward opening a new club, my graduation, things have been happening non-stop. We were constantly going 100 miles a minute.

Vegas felt like a distant memory, the only reminder being Edward's bullet wound and the constant presence of the detectives. They either didn't know how to be inconspicuous or they were purposefully making themselves known to us whenever we went out. Some days it felt like they were our personal security.

I was also pretty sure Detectives Black and Call saw Edward and I have dirty car sex when I got my license back and Edward had my car delivered to the club.

I had been knee-deep in paperwork and resumes for the new place when he marched into the office and asked me to follow him. I squealed with excitement when he told me there was a surprise for me out back. I was sure my jaw hit the floor when I saw my Corvette parked next to his Vantage.

He threw the keys to me and asked if I wanted to take it out for a spin. I squealed with excitement, jumping around on the spot and didn't hesitate before I ran towards the driver's side and got in. The smell of leather was overpowering. It was just the way I had left it. Once Edward got in, I wasted no time speeding out of the alley and showing him just what my baby could do.

The rush of driving again got my juices flowing and it wasn't long before I needed to stop somewhere so I could ravish the passenger sitting next to me. I parked in an underground parking lot and climbed over the console and into Edward's lap. Working his button fly quickly, I freed his already hard cock out of his jeans and sank down on it. Definitely glad I'd worn a skirt that day.

It was fast and hard, both of us chasing our release. It was only when I moved away from the crook of his neck when I noticed the Detective's car parked a couple of rows away from us. Knowing that someone was watching, surprisingly turned me on even more. Edward had followed my line of sight and smirked as he realized who was out there. He gripped me tighter and slammed me down on top of him, triggering my release.

We waved in the direction of his car and it quickly shot out of there like a bat out of hell. As I said, they definitely didn't know how to be discreet. To this day they continue to follow us around. Never once approaching us. They still couldn't pin our involvement that night at the casino. There was just no evidence to make anything stick. They carried on suspecting it though, hence why they wouldn't get off our backs.

They were waiting for us to slip up.

"Edward come on we have to go!" I called out from the bathroom as I splashed some water on my face to wake myself up a little.

"Have you seen my jeans?" he called back and I rolled my eyes. If I couldn't find any of my clothes, what makes him think I know where his stuff was.

"No, baby, but when you find them, can you help me look for mine?" I called out again and heard him chuckle in response.

As we were hurtling through the changes in our lives, Edward had been taking on more and more responsibilities from Carlisle. Any day now I expected him to tell Edward that he was officially retiring. It was like the news was just waiting to creep upon us. Any time his parents invited us over for dinners or lunches, we would go expecting the ball to drop. But it never did. It was like Carlisle was toying with us.

Once, when Esme and I were at our house overlooking the progress, I had almost cornered her about it. She confessed that Carlisle can't make up his mind. There is a part of him that wants to just hand it all over to Edward, but there is also a part of him that is finding it hard to let it go. He was raised by this world and became the man he is today because of it. It wasn't like he didn't trust Edward to run it with an iron fist. It was the thought of finally stepping down, letting someone else make the decisions.

"Found them!" he called out as I stepped back into our bedroom.

It was without a doubt my favorite room in the house. The walls were tall and had the windows to match it. We had gone for a light grey tone on the walls and dark wood flooring.

Our four-poster bed was the main focus of the room. We had gone bed shopping together, probably one of the most domestic shopping trips we've ever done. Our bedroom was the first room to be completed as we wanted to be able to start furnishing it as soon as possible. We had both laid on different types of beds to test them out. We even bounced on them a little to see how springy they were. We were typically in the last store for the day when we finally found the one. People say you spend most of your life in bed so you have to at least buy the right one.

We both laid on top of it, turned to each other, and instantly knew this was the one. We purchased it then and there and paid extra for it to be delivered as soon as possible. Well, at least once the room had been finished.

Tonight had been our first night in our bed and you better hope that we christened it.

I quickly opened up the remaining boxes Edward had left out whilst searching for his clothes and found a pair of black leggings. I quickly put them on and went in search of a sweater. It was the middle of the night and we were going to the hospital to see Rose give birth. There was no way I was going to put on a fashion show for everyone. I was strictly going for comfort. Fortunately, I soon found my old college sweatshirt and quickly threw it on. I tossed my hair up and looked for my sneakers.

I found our box of shoes and luckily someone had packed our shoes together as I fished out a pair for Edward as well. We laced up and bounded down the stairs. Grabbing our phones and keys on the way down into the garage. I still wasn't awake enough and I was glad to see Edward had chosen to drive.

We climbed into the SUV and made our way towards the hospital.

I couldn't believe the day has finally come for baby McCarty to make his or her presence known.

It was only 3 months ago that I watched my best friend waddle up the stage at graduation. Alice had already gotten hers as her class ceremony was before ours. We both watched our best friend grumble all the way up the stairs to the stage to collect her diploma. Her protruding belly sticking out loud and proud. We tried telling her that it would be perfectly fine if she wore flats to the ceremony but she wasn't having any of it. Even though her feet and ankles were swollen, she still shoved her feet into a pair of strappy sandals. At least she opted for the wide fit ones so they didn't dig into her feet that much. To tell you the truth, she looked stunning. Not a hair out of place and her dress accentuated her figure.

Shopping for our graduation dresses was a mission all on its own. I had finally found a bodycon midi dress and in champagne color. It had a spaghetti strap on one shoulder and the other was bare. It hugged my figure like a second skin. I of course had a slit on one side to show off my legs a bit more. The nude colored pumps made me nearly as tall as Edward, a fact he took advantage of once we were alone.

The ceremony had been long and I lost count the number of speeches we heard. But as soon as my name was called out, a lump formed in my throat at the realization that I had actually graduated college with honors. I worked my ass off and it paid off. More than once Edward asked me if I was sure I didn't want to pursue a career in law and every time I thought about it, I just felt like a hypocrite. I couldn't do that job and be married to a guy who's in the Mob. I absolutely loved what I was doing now. I love working with Edward and I can't imagine myself doing anything else.

I still have my passion for writing but it's more of a hobby. I even dabbled in fanfiction and realized that although writing has been my passion, I didn't want to turn it into a job. I didn't want to one day resent it. I was content to keep it as a hobby.

My Edward, my parents, his parents and our friends all cheered for me as I collected my diploma and I couldn't imagine my life without them in it.

We had all gone out to celebrate that night and Carlisle and Esme had surprised me with a graduation present. I wasn't expecting anything at all from them so it was a huge shock when Carlisle handed me an envelope and everyone turned to me as I opened it.

Inside, sat a pair of first-class tickets to Brazil, an information sheet about a chartered boat departure, and a home-made brochure of a villa nestled in the middle of a small island.

"The flight leaves tomorrow and the island is all ready for you both. Consider it a graduation present as well as a honeymoon you kids didn't get to have," he had told us as I kept staring at the tickets and then back at my in-laws. Tears rolled down my cheeks before I could stop them as I threw my arms around them.

I couldn't believe Edward and I could finally get away for a bit. Let alone to our own island.

And what an island it was.

The flight had been an experience all on its own as Edward wanted to once again join the mile-high club. But the stewardess that was assigned to first-class made it damn nearly impossible. I knew she knew what we wanted to do and she took it upon herself to cockblock us the entire time. In the end, we settled for some hand action under the blankets and she couldn't do a damn thing about it if she didn't want to cause a scene. I knew for a fact the bitch was jealous as she salivated every time she looked at Edward. I wasn't very discreet about my actions under the blanket either. Luckily, most of the passengers were asleep because it was harder than I thought to keep quiet.

Once we landed, a taxi took us to the docks and we were whisked away on a jetboat to the island. The cool sea breeze air felt great against my heated skin and I couldn't wait to jump in the water to cool off as soon as we get there.

Once the boat stopped and the guy kindly helped us with our bags, we said our goodbyes and he was off again. Leaving Edward and me on a private island that Carlisle had purchased for Esme when she found out they were having Edward.

The gentle sound of the calm ocean was the only thing that could be heard. It was nearing to midnight by the time we got to the island and the only light provided was the small path leading up to the villa as well as the front entrance light.

It was a beautiful one-story building. White walls, thatched roof, and wooden accents made the whole place feel as warm as the summer breeze. Our first night there had been humid. As soon as Edward and I got our luggage inside and did a quick tour of the place, we both stripped down to our birthday suits and made our way back towards the ocean. The water was both warm and soothing as we finally let the days travel wash away from us.

That night, Edward made me see stars, and not just the ones shining bright above us. We had an open-ended flight ticket so we didn't even have a return date and we took full advantage of that fact.

We continued to learn about each other when it felt like there was nothing new to learn. I learned that Edward wasn't a fan of beach sex because of sand getting into places it shouldn't. I learned that after spending time in the sun, his skin smelled of warm sunshine and the tropical sun cream I had brought with us was driving me crazy every time I could smell it on him. We both took great pleasure in lathering up our bodies in it. I learned that sunbathing naked with my husband always leads to sex in the ocean. We also learned that the penis tans easily..._very_ easily. Considering that body part of his hardly ever saw the sun before, my poor husband was not prepared for the sunburn. I tried my absolute hardest not to laugh at him, but every time he bitched about it, I would cry in laughter. Ever since that day, he never took his swimming trunks off when he laid out in the sun with me.

I learned that his nose freckles ever so slightly when he's been out in the sun. I learned that no matter where we are in the world, his work followed. In the` first 5 days, we turned our phones off. Only checking in with our parents at the end of the day. But soon, Carlisle had asked Edward to be accessible. The Mob life never sleeps it seems.

I learned my husband enjoyed being tied up to the bed whilst I had my wicked way with him. I learned he enjoyed having me at his mercy too. I was positive we had given the Kama Sutra a run for its money. There was no place for shyness or insecurities in our relationship. I was as comfortable with him as I would be with my girls.

I don't know how it happened, but one night we had ventured down the rabbit hole of past sexual experiences…mostly the bad ones. He had shared that one girl nearly bit his cock off when she asked him if she could use her teeth on him a little. Apparently, she had gotten so into it that she bit down harder than she was supposed to. He shuddered retelling that story and made me laugh at the way Marcus had teased him about it when he went to see him to get it checked out. We quickly replaced that memory with one of our own. I showed him how a little teeth play could feel good. I was just happy to erase that memory for him and replace it with one of our own.

I told him about when my ex used to tickle me all the time as foreplay. I guess he just liked the way I squirmed when he did it, but I would always tell him not to. I _hated_ being tickled since I'm so sensitive and lose all control of my body when it happens. The last time he was on top of me, tickling me, I lost control and kneed him in the balls. A total accident but it luckily put an abrupt stop to his form of foreplay. Let's just say, once Edward had stopped cringing, he showed me just exactly what foreplay should be like.

~#~

"What are you thinking about?" I jumped slightly when he spoke. I got so lost in memory lane I almost forgot where I was.

"I was thinking about Brazil," I sighed. Hands down one of the best times of my life.

"We'll go back baby, I promise." He kissed the back of my hand and didn't let go of it as he continued to drive.

~#~

We spent days exploring the island as well as venturing down to the mainland.

One night we decided to venture down to the mainland for a night out to one of the bars. Watching Edward control the jet was something special. It felt like there wasn't anything he couldn't do. He executed everything confidently and I found that to be a huge turn on. What came as a pleasant surprise was the way he so easily conversed in Portuguese with the locals. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's been here before. He told me he hasn't and that he only knew his parents owned a villa out here but he's never had a reason to visit before now.

Once we docked, Edward had taken hold of my hand as we moved around the masses of people. Tourists and locals flooded the narrow streets, everyone with smiles on their faces. People were bumping into each other and apologizing like it was no big deal. If that were to happen in Chicago, they would be squaring up to each other by now. I was quickly getting used to island life.

I wore a white cami dress that looked amazing against my tanned skin with strappy sandals that wound up my calves. It was short and low cut and showed a decent amount of cleavage and I still felt hot in it. But Edward couldn't take his hands and eyes off me as soon as I stepped into the living room after getting dressed. He would never tell me what I could and couldn't wear and I enjoyed watching his eyes pop every time he appreciated something I've worn.

Even my suit-wearing husband had put on a pair of navy cargo shorts and a white t-shirt. I was enjoying his relaxed look.

Men would call out to us as we made our way down the street. I couldn't understand what they were saying but Edward took great pleasure replying back to them with a cocky smile plastered on his face. Every time I ask him what they said, he would shake his head in amusement and tell me it was guy talk.

We ended up at this swanky bar packed with people. The music was blaring and everyone looked like they were having a good time. Men and women shamelessly flirting with one another as bodies danced pressed closely together. We had loved being in our own bubble on the island but being surrounded by other people felt great.

I was drinking a fruity cocktail whilst Edward was supporting a bottle of beer when I saw the last person I ever expected to see here.

We were sat at the bar and I was hidden behind a wooden post so he didn't see me. I took in his haggard appearance. With the dark tone to his skin, I'd say he's been here a while. His hair had grown out a fair bit and looked more of a dirty blond than it previously used to be. He had a scar going across the bridge of his now crooked nose and I wondered how many times it's been broken. He was leaning against a wall, whispering something to a guy that was clearly carrying and didn't care that people knew. He spoke with his hands like he used to do in lectures.

~#~

I felt Edward's hand on my thigh and I jumped again.

"Are you ok angel, you're awfully quiet…and jumpy," he summarised with a slight chuckle.

"Yeah sorry baby, I was just thinking about that night at the bar on the mainland," I watched his eyes harden at the mere mention of that night and I noticed the way his knuckled whitened as he gripped the wheel tighter.

"Fucking asshole," he grumbled and I rolled my eyes slightly. He near enough beat him to a pulp that night and he still wasn't satisfied enough.

~#~

I was seconds away from getting Edward's attention when he spoke first.

"Did you know that not a single man can take his eyes off you since we walked in?" He whispered into my ear as he leaned in closer to me. I wanted to scoff at that statement because there were plenty of beautiful women in the bar, women even I couldn't take my eyes off of.

"You're being ridiculous," I threw my head back and laughed and as he was leaning in towards my neck, he suddenly stopped. I turned to see what had caught his eye when I remember Michael Newton.

"Yeah I was gonna tell you about that but you distracted me," I said offhandedly as we were both looking at him now.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" He snarled as he balled his fists.

And as if Newton could hear us, his head swiveled in our direction and I could practically see the sweat forming on his forehead as the realization hit. He said something to the guy he was with and ran out of the bar, shooting us one last look before he disappeared down the busy street.

I wasn't worried about him. He was a weasel of a man and definitely not a threat. I couldn't have cared less that he was here or wherever he had run off to. He was insignificant.

"I want to dance," I purred into Edward's ear and watched his anger slowly dissolve as his eyes raked down my body. I was already grinding my ass on the stool as I moved to the music. Edward looked on in amusement before standing up and holding his hand out for me.

We weaved between people until we got to a spot on the dancefloor. The beat of the song thumped throughout the whole bar and it was like a trance had been set on all the moving bodies. Edward and I were pressed closely together, matching all the other couples. One of Edward's thighs was between mine as I ground against him, letting the music take over me. His hands ran up and down my body, once they were up to my neck, he drew my mouth to his. I was unbearably wet for him, aching to feel him between my legs.

Our bodies continued to move in sync and as the song changed, Edward turned me around so that my back was facing his chest. I could feel how hard he was for me and I was more than ready to head back to the villa. I rested my head on his shoulder and as his face descended upon mine, I turned his head so I could whisper in his ear to take me home. His grip on my waist tightened and I swear I felt him growl as his chest vibrated. He grabbed hold of my hand again and we made our way out of the bar. I was panting by the time the humid air hit my face and I could breathe a little easier, but only a little. I wrapped both of my arms around Edward's as we walked back down to where our boat was.

We were laughing about something or other when I felt someone grab my shoulder. Before I knew it, a fist flew past me and Edward was towering over Newton's body.

"What the fuck did I tell you the last time I saw you?" He growled out.

"I need more money!" Newton rasped out.

"You need your fucking head examined if you think you're getting a dime. You made your fucking bed, you lie in it. You touch her again and you're dead. Do I make myself clear?" Pure rage rolled off Edward and the last time I'd seen him this angry was when we were chasing Hunter through the desert.

"Isabella, please," he pleaded and I felt nauseous hearing him use my full name.

Another punch from Edward and I heard Newton's head hit the asphalt. No one paid any attention to us but we were also down a quiet road where there weren't that many people around.

"Don't fucking look at her!"

"Edward, come on baby, let's go," I tried to pull him away from Michael but I also noticed the way his eyes traveled down my body. I was pretty sure Edward had seen it too because before I could do anything else, Edward shrugged me off and straddled Newton's chest, pounding his face like a punching bag.

I thought for sure he was going to kill him. Before his fist could connect to an already unconscious Newton, I wrapped both of my hands around his arm and pulled. There was almost a crazed look in his eyes as they snapped towards me.

"Baby, stop," I said calmly and gripped him tighter.

"Stop. He's not moving Edward," I could feel panic in my voice but I then noticed his chest still moving up and down. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and tugged on Edward's arm again to get him off Newton.

He moved off him robotically and I noticed specks of blood on his white t-shirt. There was blood on his knuckles that was now on my dress. His hand had accidentally brushed against it as he stood up.

Newton let out a groaning sound and I knew he was still alive as I pulled Edward away from him. I could hear voices getting louder and it wouldn't take long for someone to find him. We just needed to make sure we weren't there when it happened.

We quickly reached the boat and Edward lifted me inside it. He untied the rope and started it up. The cooler ocean breeze soothed my overheated skin and there was nothing but the sound of the engine and the waves crashing under us as we headed towards the island.

I cleaned him up when we got back and threw our ruined clothes into the trash.

I could still feel rage coursing through Edward's body. It was like hot lava under his skin. As I stepped out of the bathroom and made my way into the kitchen for a drink, Edward was resting his hands on the back of the couch. His strong shoulders rose and fell with every deep breath he took. I poured myself a glass of scotch and brought another one over to him.

He gently took the glass from me and downed it all in one. He held it in a tight grip as his gaze shot to me. I was suddenly pulled between him and the couch. I had changed into a silk negligee before I left the bedroom and he looked at it appreciatively. He dropped the glass down the couch and his hands went under the hem of my nightie. He gripped my ass tightly and I almost winced at just how tight he grabbed it. I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't turned on by it.

And he knew it.

"Finish it." He rasped out, motioning towards my drink. With one huge gulp, I finished the amber liquid. He took the glass off me and placed it down next to his. Once his hand returned to my hip, he turned me around at lighting speed and bent me over the back of the couch. My ass coming in contact with his cock as he pushed up against me.

He lifted my nightie up so my ass was exposed to him. He then gently rand his palm over it before smacking it.

"You're mine Isabella," he gritted out through clenched teeth and smacked my ass again. I was writhing against him and the couch, needing more.

"Say it."

"I'm yours."

"I want to bury my cock deep inside your pussy, Isabella. Are you ready for me, angel? Is that pussy wet for me? This isn't going to be gentle. I need to fuck you…hard. Can you handle that?"

"Fuck…yes…yes, Edward, give it to me," my voice was breathless as I panted for him. I heard his shorts hit the floor and then I felt his heated skin against mine. My ass was still stinging from the smacks it received but it was a good sting. He rubbed the head of his cock against my slick lips and I wanted to push back against him.

I had just turned my head to look back at him when he pushed deep inside me, making me cry out.

"Fuck."

~#~

"Baby we're here."

I had to literally shake my head to clear it. When I looked around, I noticed that we were indeed parked at the hospital.

"Let's go see the parents-to-be. I hope we're not too late," I mumbled in response and got out of the car.

Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked inside. We gave Rose's name at the front desk and they directed us toward the delivery ward.

We met with Alice and Jasper in the waiting room and they told us that she was already in there, pushing.

"I still can't believe Rose is pushing a human out of her vagina!" Alice gushed as she sat down next to me.

"I can't believe there's going to be a mini Emmett or a mini Rose joining the group," I snorted and only then realized that there were only the four of us out here.

"Where's Mr. Hale? What about Emmett's parents?" I asked Alice and she grimaced.

"Rose's dad is in Monaco, her mom is gone…again, and Emm's parents are still on a cruise. It's just us," she rested her head on my shoulder and I kissed the top of it. Wanting more than anything to be in there with Rose.

If felt like we sat in that waiting room for hours. Our men sat in the corner talking shop whilst Alice and I went over the checklist to see if we had got everything in time for the baby's arrival. We had to shop in neutral colors because they wouldn't tell us what they were having. Alice was a little hurt that both of us couldn't be godparents but she soon calmed down when they told her the next one is hers. She even suggested they start working on it right away because my little pixie friend was not the most patient of people.

The doors swung open and out walked a disheveled looking Emmett in scrubs. He looked dazed and for a second, I thought he was going to pass out. But then, the biggest smile I think I'd ever seen on him before, graced his handsome face as he took us in.

He pulled the green cap off his head and cleared his throat.

"It's…erm…it's…fuck! It's a healthy baby boy!" He cheered and we all jumped up to congratulate him. I was sure both Alice and I were a blubbering mess as we hugged him.

"Can we go see them? How's Rose?" Both Alice and I fired questions at him and he looked so lost, but blissfully happy. He swallowed a few times before he spoke again, wringing the green cap between his hands.

"Rosie did great. Threatened my balls a few times too many but she did amazing. I don't think I can look at her…you know…the same way again but the Doc assured me it goes back to normal. It does go back to normal right?" he asked us as if we'd know.

"Sure Emm, of course," I try to sound convincing and I think it worked as his shoulders relaxed and he beamed at us.

"Can we go see them?" As soon as the words left my mouth, the doctor and nurses stepped out, walking towards us.

"Emmett, Rosalie is all settled now, and luckily there wasn't any tearing. I don't see why you shouldn't be able to take your little family home tomorrow. Congratulations again, he's a beautiful boy." The doctor nodded towards us and left down the hall.

And he truly is a beautiful boy. Weighing at 8 pounds and 7 ounces. He has an almost full head of jet-black hair like Emmett's and bright blue eyes that match both mom and dad. Rose looked absolutely exhausted but still as beautiful. You would have never guessed she's given birth mere moments ago.

The baby made its rounds so everyone got a chance to cuddle him before he started wailing. I could now understand what everyone means when they say they love that baby smell. His skin was so soft and he felt comfortable being passed around like a parcel so we could all get a chance to love on him.

When it came to my turn, I didn't want to let him go. I felt so much love for my godson, it took my breath away. I wanted to protect him with my life and he wasn't even my flesh and blood. I probably wasn't even feeling a fraction of what Emmett and Rosalie were feeling.

"Have you picked a name?" I asked softly as I turned to face them.

"Everyone, meet Jamie Aaron McCarty," Emmett declared proudly and looked lovingly towards his son.

"Hi Jamie," I softly cooed.

I felt Edward shift beside me and he was the only one left to hold him. I smiled up at him and asked him if he was ready. Edward quickly nodded without saying a word and I gently placed Jamie inside his strong arms. He gently wrapped them around him and I thought my ovaries were going to burst. I don't think I'd ever seen a sexier sight. What was it about seeing men holding a baby?

I can't say I was now desperate to have one, but I could finally envision it.

When we're both ready, I know for a fact Edward will be the most amazing father.

My love for him grew tenfold when he lifted Jamie up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on top of his head. Our eyes met and I knew he knew what I was feeling.

He came into my life unexpectedly, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

**It's done! **

**I'm so sorry it took me so long to finally get this out here but I was actually finding it really hard to let it go. **

**I have thoroughly enjoyed writing my little fic and I really hope you enjoyed reading it. **

**As for what's next...I'm not quite sure yet. I constantly have ideas brewing but nothing is set in stone. I think once I finally sit down and start something new, I'd like to have it all written out before I start posting it.**

**Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every review, favourite, and follow. I can't even describe how it makes me feel every time I get that notification. **

**I know there are plenty of mistakes and whatnot, and some more than unrealistic situations...but this is fiction hehe (at least that's the excuse I'm using).**

**Thank you all again!**

**Until next time...**

**xoxo **


End file.
